Audi Taps Foresight for Advanced Terrain Intelligence Technology

NESS ZIONA, ISRAEL – December 29, 2025 – In a significant move that could enhance the capabilities of future autonomous and driver-assist systems, German luxury automaker Audi AG has selected Israeli innovator Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. to showcase its cutting-edge terrain intelligence technology. The selection took place at Audi's exclusive “Minds and Makers” startup event, a platform designed to connect the automotive giant with companies developing breakthrough solutions.

Foresight, a specialist in 3D perception systems, conducted in-car demonstrations for key Audi innovation teams, leading to discussions about a potential proof-of-concept (POC) project. Such a project would represent a critical step toward integrating Foresight's sophisticated environmental analysis capabilities into Audi’s vehicle development programs and, eventually, its future vehicle platforms. This collaboration signals a growing industry focus on vehicle sensors that can understand not just what is on the road, but the condition of the road itself.

A Deeper Dimension of Vehicle Perception

At the heart of the demonstration was Foresight's terrain intelligence solution, a system that moves beyond conventional camera and radar-based object detection. Instead of only identifying cars, pedestrians, and lane markings, Foresight’s technology provides a real-time, three-dimensional analysis of the ground surface ahead of the vehicle. It accomplishes this by generating a dense 3D point cloud, which is essentially a detailed digital map of the environment rendered in three dimensions.

This dense data allows the system to perform highly accurate depth perception and detailed segmentation of the road and its surface. The technology can differentiate between various types of terrain, identify potential hazards like potholes or debris, and assess the quality of the driving surface. A key advantage of Foresight's system is its use of stereoscopic camera technology, which utilizes two cameras to mimic human depth perception.

Crucially, the system supports both visible-light and thermal cameras. This dual-camera approach ensures robust and reliable performance even in adverse conditions where other sensors might fail. In complete darkness, heavy fog, rain, or snow, the thermal cameras can detect subtle temperature differences to map the terrain, while the visible-light cameras provide rich detail when conditions are clear. This all-weather, all-lighting capability is a critical requirement for any sensor system intended for Level 3 and higher autonomous driving functions, where the vehicle must operate safely without human oversight.

From Showcase to Proof-of-Concept

The invitation to Audi’s “Minds and Makers” event provided Foresight with a high-profile stage to present its technology directly to the automaker's decision-makers and engineers. These events are integral to how established manufacturers like Audi scout for innovation, allowing them to vet emerging technologies and identify potential partners that can help them maintain a competitive edge. For a startup, being selected from a pool of applicants is a powerful endorsement of its technology's potential and commercial viability.

Following successful in-car demonstrations, the discussions have progressed toward a potential proof-of-concept project. In the automotive world, a POC is a make-or-break milestone. It involves a rigorous, hands-on validation process where the startup's technology is integrated into a test vehicle or development platform. Engineers then evaluate its performance against a set of specific metrics, its compatibility with existing vehicle architecture, and its real-world effectiveness.

Successfully completing a POC with a manufacturer of Audi's caliber would be a transformative achievement for Foresight. It would validate the technology's practical application and serve as a crucial gateway to a potential large-scale supply agreement, integrating the system into production vehicles that will be sold to consumers worldwide.

Redefining Automotive Safety and Comfort

The collaboration highlights a pivotal evolution in advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicle (AV) technology. For years, the primary focus has been on preventing collisions with other road users. While essential, this overlooks a significant factor in driving safety and comfort: the road surface itself. Potholes can cause tire and suspension damage, patches of ice can lead to a loss of control, and changing surfaces from asphalt to gravel require adjustments in driving dynamics.

Foresight's terrain intelligence directly addresses this gap. By providing the vehicle's central computer with a detailed understanding of the road ahead, it can enable a new generation of proactive vehicle control systems. For example:
* Adaptive Suspension: A vehicle could proactively adjust its suspension dampers before hitting a pothole or speed bump, dramatically improving ride comfort.
* Enhanced Traction Control: By identifying a wet or icy patch of road, the system could pre-emptively adjust power delivery and braking bias to prevent a skid.
* Smarter Autonomous Navigation: An autonomous vehicle could use terrain data to plot a safer or more comfortable path, for instance by navigating around a badly maintained section of road or adjusting its speed for an upcoming gravel path.

This technology is part of Foresight's broader vision for vehicle safety, which encompasses both “in-line-of-sight” systems like the 3D perception solution shown to Audi, and “beyond-line-of-sight” (BLOS) solutions. The company's subsidiary, Eye-Net Mobile, develops cellular-based vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology that uses smartphones and network connectivity to provide pre-collision alerts for dangers that are not yet visible, such as a car running a red light around a blind corner.

A Strategic Partnership for the Future

The potential partnership between Foresight and Audi represents a symbiotic relationship. For Foresight, it offers a direct path into the highly competitive and lucrative premium automotive market. A successful integration with Audi would not only generate revenue but also serve as a powerful case study, attracting interest from other automakers across the industry. The company's technology, already designed for diverse markets including defense, agriculture, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), would gain immense credibility from an automotive application.

For Audi, incorporating this advanced terrain sensing could provide a distinct technological advantage, reinforcing its brand promise of Vorsprung durch Technik (Advancement through Technology). As vehicles become increasingly automated, the ability to deliver a safer, smoother, and more intelligent ride will be a key differentiator. By exploring solutions like Foresight's, Audi is investing in the future of mobility, where vehicles not only see their surroundings but truly understand them. The next steps in their discussions and the potential launch of a POC project will be watched closely by the entire automotive industry as a bellwether for the next wave of sensor innovation.