Not just a slogan, but a mission that is now closer. After the positive test campaign and the Easyrain Experience in November, where carmakers got behind the wheel of proof-of-concept vehicles, the time has come for Easyrain to move on to the industrialization stage: the AIS anti-aquaplaning system and DAI detection software are on the way to reach the market.
An important milestone for the Italian startup dedicated to road safety on low-grip conditions, offering OEMs hardware, software and cloud solutions – operating standalone or combined – to improve vehicle safety on wet road, and to eventually restore grip in the event of aquaplaning.
Along with technologies meant for wet and aquaplaning conditions, Easyrain is developing new algorithms to detect loss of tire contact on snow, ice and slippery road surfaces, making driving safer when grip is limited. Together with these new algorithms, the Turin-based startup has begun testing a software to detect wrong symmetry in the car set-up: an essential feature for improving vehicle safety, reducing CO2 and avoiding unusual tire wear. This software activate new safety functions and will lead to a new generation of ADAS systems, capable of modulating the level of driving assistance according to the road surface.
In addition to the software, Easyrain is also working on the evolution of AIS hardware system, which is expected to debut on the market in mid-2026. The first active system to counter aquaplaning is heading towards industrialization and new components are being studied to reduce weight, size, and cost. Such components have been conceived along with Tier-1s: Easyrain is collaborating with them for the development stage and for all the steps of production process. At the same time, preliminary studies have begun on a brand-new hardware product (known internally as Project-X) designed to bring road safety on low-grip surfaces on a next level. The goal is to restore grip not just on very wet surfaces, but also in the event of loss of control on ice and snow. Easyrain aims to develop essential safety systems to help achieve the European goal of zero deaths on the road by 2050.
These innovations, which are requiring further growth of the team, made 2022 a year to remember. Easyrain collected positive feedback from car makers, culminating in the Easyrain Experience in November in Applus+ IDIADA Spanish proving ground: test drives with OEMs showcased the systems effectiveness on various types of cars, including sedan, station wagon and SUV. The participants provided enthusiastic responses: the AIS test was compared to the introduction of stability and braking control systems.
Together with the OEMs, Easyrain has held several technical discussions aimed at integrating its products into vehicles. Easyrain offers many levels of products integration: from detection algorithms to activate new functions or improve assisted driving functions, up to the complete package including DAI, AIS and ERC, to make the most of the enormous potential of software, hardware and cloud.
The Easyrain Cloud (ERC) is also being developed. ERC stores data from the DAI and algorithms; this information allows the refinement of the algorithms and predictive warning services in the event of wet asphalt, aquaplaning, icy surfaces, potholes, and wear of car components. Furthermore, ERC will also be used to update in real time a new database dedicated to road safety, where private companies, agencies and public bodies will find information on dangers on the road network.
Easyrain technologies are ready for today’s cars, but they are already on-board tomorrow’s vehicles. AIS, DAI and ERC are integrated on Italdesign Climb-E, an autonomous vehicle that previews future mobility, being presented at 2023 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The safety of tomorrow passes through the solutions Easyrain is developing today.