SANTA CLARA, Calif., and DETROIT, Nov. 8, 2023 – Ambarella, Inc., an edge AI semiconductor company, and Canopy, a smart vehicle security startup, today announced that Canopy selected Ambarella’s CV25 AI computer vision system-on-chip (SoC) for its flagship Canopy Pickup Cam system, providing real-time monitoring and threat detection for truck beds.
The result of a joint venture between ADT and Ford, Canopy’s camera and security system is compatible with most pickup trucks and began shipping to customers on October 30th.
According to several industry reports, vehicle theft rates are on the rise. Open truck beds are particularly susceptible, often leaving owners unaware of a theft until it is too late. Canopy’s security system proactively monitors the cargo inside truck beds and sends automatic alerts when suspicious activity is detected, unlike traditional security alarms that send notifications after an incident. With an initial focus on personal vehicles, and with plans to expand to fleet vehicles in the near future, the Canopy Pickup Cam is the first aftermarket, AI-enabled security system for truck bed security.
This system uses Ambarella’s CV25 SoC, with its industry-leading AI performance per watt, to detect threats such as reach-ins and tampering, while reducing false alerts for truck owners. The CV25’s power efficiency enables the Pickup Cam to provide comprehensive threat detection and alerts for extended periods of time. Additionally, the CV25 SoC supports future system expansions for additional cameras.
“We selected Ambarella’s CVflow SoC because it provides a powerful AI engine with low power consumption, fast boot and excellent low-light performance,” said Canopy CTO Ben Brown. “These industry-leading features helped us combine the benefits of smart home technology with our automotive and AI expertise to create the only multi-make security system that proactively protects pickup owners’ valuable truck bed cargo.”
“As the leading global supplier of security camera chipsets, we are excited to enable Canopy with our edge AI technology to provide higher levels of vehicle security,” said Fermi Wang, president and CEO of Ambarella. “Ambarella’s CV25 SoC offers the efficient processing performance and image quality needed for compact, AI-powered embedded vision systems like the Pickup Cam.”
Leveraging Ambarella’s extensive experience in the video security market, Canopy’s system comes equipped with the visual quality needed for increased accuracy from AI algorithms, while maintaining a compact form factor and low power budget. For example, the Pickup Cam features a 180° ultra-wide field of view, supported by the CV25 SoC’s de-warping and Ambarella’s world-class image signal processor (ISP).
Additionally, this on-chip ISP provides superior low-light performance and color night vision, delivering exceptional image quality in adverse lighting scenarios. These features help Canopy provide customers with peace of mind, knowing that their truck beds are secure day and night, across a wide range of environmental conditions.
The Pickup Cam also uses Ambarella’s on-chip H.264/H.265 video compression engine to deliver constant video recording, ensuring critical evidence can be gathered in the event of an incident. Owners can also use the Canopy security app to view a live stream of their truck bed when they are away from their vehicle. Additionally, Canopy plans to offer an Emergency Help service from ADT for professional monitoring and assistance.
Watch Canopy's CES2023 product preview below.
