The Sentinel Mode in cars is a safety monitoring technology that is primarily used in electric vehicles from brands like Li Auto, Wuling, BYD, NIO, Xpeng, Xiaomi, and Tesla. Its core function is to continuously monitor the vehicle’s surroundings through onboard cameras. When potential threats (such as collisions or vandalism) are detected, it triggers an alarm and records video. The video is stored in the vehicle’s system for the owner to view at any time. This feature is incredibly useful for resolving safety disputes that arise during driving and parking, effectively acting as a “sentinel”.
(Image source: AI generated by Doubao)
Main hardware components of the Sentinel Mode:
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1. Cameras: Multiple cameras provide 360-degree monitoring
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2. Sensors: Detect vibrations, tilts, and other anomalies
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3. Processor: Real-time analysis of sensor and camera data
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4. Storage: Typically uses USB devices to save videos
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5. Wireless modules, power chips, connectors, etc.
Is it feasible to retrofit the Sentinel Mode?
Many existing vehicle owners want to know about the feasibility of retrofitting the Sentinel Mode.
In theory, it can be retrofitted, but it requires support from cameras, sensors, processors, and software, as well as professional technical personnel from different car manufacturers’ 4S shops. The technical challenges are significant, including:
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1. Integration difficulty: Complex integration with the vehicle’s existing system; if the in-car system is not robust, it is challenging to integrate with the existing system.
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2. Power management: Need to ensure power supply during long parking durations; whether it can provide extended power support after the engine is turned off.
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3. Legal issues: Compliance with privacy and data protection regulations, as well as data confidentiality.
Which vehicles come factory-equipped with Sentinel Mode?
People looking to change or buy a new car definitely want to know which cars currently have the Sentinel Mode feature.According to research, as of 2023 (data sourced from DeepSeek), domestic vehicles equipped with factory-installed Sentinel Mode are primarily concentrated among high-end electric and smart car brands.Here are some known models:
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Tesla’s Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model X. Tesla’s Sentinel Mode uses onboard cameras and sensors to monitor the vehicle’s surroundings and record video when threats are detected.
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NIO, models including ES6, ES8, EC6, ET7, etc. NIO models are equipped with a similar monitoring system that uses onboard cameras and sensors for environmental monitoring and video recording.
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Xpeng Motors’ P7, G3, etc. Some models of Xpeng Motors are also equipped with similar Sentinel Mode features through onboard cameras and sensors for environmental monitoring.
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Li Auto, including Li ONE and Li L9. Some models of Li Auto also provide similar safety monitoring features.
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BYD’s Han EV, Tang EV. Some high-end electric models from BYD are also equipped with similar safety monitoring systems.
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Zeekr’s Zeekr 001, equipped with similar Sentinel Mode features through onboard cameras and sensors for environmental monitoring.
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AITO’s Wenjie M5, M7, M9. Some models from AITO also provide similar safety monitoring features.
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Xiaomi SU7, where a recent incident at a highway service area was captured by the vehicle’s Sentinel Mode, drawing significant attention to this technology. In the future, Sentinel Mode technology is likely to become a standard necessity in cars.
(What other vehicles are equipped with Sentinel Mode before leaving the factory? Please feel free to comment below and enlighten the author.)
The Sentinel Mode function in these models is typically implemented through onboard cameras, sensors, and software systems, allowing for monitoring of the surrounding environment while the vehicle is parked, and recording video or triggering alarms when potential threats are detected. The specific features and implementation methods may vary by model and brand.
Third-party companies have already provided devices with similar functionalities, but their performance and integration may not match that of factory systems. According to users who have experienced these functionalities, this feature can be easily achieved through a dashcam at a low cost. However, factory solutions provide 360-degree monitoring, which is more efficient and tighter in monitoring.
What are the main control SOCs for Sentinel Mode?
The processors for automotive Sentinel Mode are typically handled by onboard computing platforms or dedicated AI processors, with several domestic and international manufacturers providing related chips.Here are some major manufacturers and models:
(1) International manufacturers and processor models
NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Xavier: Based on the Xavier SoC, designed for autonomous driving and in-car AI, supporting multi-camera input and real-time processing.
NVIDIA DRIVE Orin: A higher-performance autonomous driving computing platform that supports more complex AI tasks, including multi-camera monitoring and threat detection for Sentinel Mode.
Snapdragon Ride platform: Includes vehicle chips like SA8155P, SA8195P, supporting AI computation and multi-camera processing, suitable for smart cabins and Sentinel Mode.
Snapdragon 820A: An earlier vehicle chip that also supports basic AI tasks and camera processing.
Mobileye EyeQ series: Such as EyeQ4, EyeQ5, specifically designed for autonomous driving and ADAS, supporting multi-camera input and environmental perception, usable for Sentinel Mode.
Tesla FSD Chip: Tesla’s self-developed full self-driving chip, used for processing camera data and threat detection in Sentinel Mode.
R-Car V3H/V4H: High-performance vehicle SoCs that support AI acceleration and multi-camera input, suitable for Sentinel Mode.
(2) Domestic manufacturers and processor models
Ascend series: Such as Ascend 310, Ascend 910, supporting AI inference and computation, usable for video analysis and threat detection in Sentinel Mode.
MDC (Mobile Data Center) platform: Such as MDC 300/610, designed for autonomous driving, supporting multi-sensor fusion and AI computation.
Journey series: Such as Journey 2, Journey 3, Journey 5, specifically designed for in-car AI, supporting multi-camera input and real-time processing, widely used in Sentinel Mode.
Horizon processors are widely used in domestic automakers (such as Li Auto, Changan, BYD).
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Black Sesame Technologies:
Huashan series: Such as A1000, A2000, high-performance vehicle AI chips, supporting multi-camera processing and AI inference.
Image: Introduction to Black Sesame A2000 Smart Driving Chip (Image source: Black Sesame Technologies official website)
MLU series: Such as MLU220, MLU270, supporting AI inference and computation, usable for in-car environmental monitoring.
X9 series: Such as X9U, specifically designed for smart cabins, supporting multi-camera input and AI processing, suitable for Sentinel Mode.
T series: Such as T7, vehicle SoCs that support multi-camera input and basic AI tasks.
International manufacturers like NVIDIA, Qualcomm, Intel, Mobileye, and Tesla provide high-performance vehicle AI chips.
Domestic manufacturers like Huawei, Horizon, Black Sesame Technologies, Cambricon, and SemiDrive have rapidly developed in the field of vehicle AI chips, gradually becoming the main choice for domestic automakers.
These processors, with their powerful AI computing capabilities and multi-camera support, enable real-time monitoring, threat detection, and video recording functions of Sentinel Mode. The specific choice depends on the automaker’s needs and system integration capabilities.
By the way, which powerful AI automotive chips from domestic and foreign manufacturers have not been listed? Please feel free to add in the comments.
Disclaimer: This article is originally from Electronic Enthusiasts, please indicate the source above. For group discussions, please add WeChat elecfans999, for submission of reports or interview requests, please send an email to [email protected].
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