Thanks to investment in R&D and manufacturing, as well as growing demand for vehicle interior sensing solutions, IEE S.A. maintains a profitable position on the market amidst global instability.  

High energy prices, high inflation, high interest rates, geopolitical challenges, and economic recession – the overall climate has not been particularly favorable to the automotive industry. Nevertheless, IEE Group (which includes ALL Circuits, acquired in 2015, delivering electronics manufacturing services) has continued to grow its revenue significantly.  

IEE Group managed to generate a total revenue of 682,4 million euros in 2023, an increase of 24,6% compared to 2022 (547,8 million Euros). EBITDA is at 64,5 million euros, which means a progress of 60,5% compared to 2022 (40,2 million Euros).  

The main drivers behind IEE’s continuous growth are technologies such as hands on/off sensing (HOD) that support assisted and automated driving functionalities, novel vehicle safety features like Child Presence Detection (VitaSense, LiDAS), and the increasing fitment of seat belt reminder systems (SBR) to the rear seats of vehicles. Furthermore, our daughter company, ALL Circuits, has seen an increase in orders of electronics manufacturing services (EMS) for electric vehicles (inverters, battery management electronics) during the past year.  

“We take pride in our in-house built sensors that make cars all over the world safer and enhance the driver and passenger experience. Innovation has always been at the heart of IEE’s strategy, and we continue to invest in vehicle interior sensing solutions to further improve occupant safety and comfort. We also support safe usage of assisted and automated driving systems,” says Paul Schockmel, CEO at IEE S.A.  

For over three decades, IEE has gathered incomparable car seat and car interior know-how, with which it kept developing a wide variety of safety and comfort sensing solutions renowned worldwide. ALL Circuits ranks 45 among the global Top 50 EMS companies and is strongly benefitting from the vehicle electrification trends in Europe.  

Over the past 5 years, IEE has invested an estimated 30 million euros in Luxembourg, where the headquarters are, in R&D and Manufacturing 4.0. Aside from investing into resources, building up and developing solutions for growing markets such as car electrification and automated driving, IEE looks into the future and develops innovative technologies and new applications also outside of the automotive industry, in eHealth, and Industry 4.0, for example. 

IEE’s Management expects the company to be in the growth curve also this year with full order books. IEE Group booked new orders in 2023 which are worth more than 1500 million Euros. The Management is made up of Paul Schockmel (CEO), Kevin Hui (CFO), Alain Schumacher (CTO), Christophe Keiser (COO) and Bruno Racault (President at ALL Circuits).

A major trend in the automotive industry is to increasingly equip vehicles with technology that aims at making the driving more comfortable by supporting the driver.

When you read or watch information in public media related to vehicles assisting the driver in its driving task or even driving autonomously, you may notice statements like “the car has Level 2 capabilities” or “vehicle manufacturer xy plans to launch a Level 4 vehicle in 2030”. But what are these “Levels”, what do they mean?

With increasing availability of driver assistance systems and following evolutions towards automated or even autonomous driving, the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) has “categorized” the systems, from Level 0 to Level 5. SAE J3016 defines the “Levels” depending on various key criteria: the capabilities of the vehicle, the role of the driver, and the variety of roads that the vehicle can handle.

Level 0: In a simple way one can describe it as “manual” driving: the driver has to steer, accelerate and slow down the car, there is no system that could support him in these tasks. A Level 0 car may be equipped with safety features that can warn the driver (collision warning or lane departure warning), or act in emergency situations (Autonomous Emergency Braking, Emergency Lane Keeping). Still the car remains on a “0” Level as these systems do NOT continuously support the driver, they are no “assistance” systems but “safety” systems.

Level 1: The vehicle is equipped with a driver assistance system that can continuously support the driver in either lateral (steering) or longitudinal (braking, accelerating) control of the vehicle. Examples are Lane Keeping Assistance Systems or Lane Centring Systems (a camera detects the lane markings and the system continuously supports the driver to stay within the lane) or Adaptive Cruise Control (the distance to a preceding vehicle is measured, and the vehicle’s own speed can be adapted automatically to the speed of the preceding car).

Level 2: The vehicle can continuously support the driver in longitudinal and lateral control, it “combines” two Level 1 features. Such Level 2 systems can take over a significant share of the “driving task”, and with this comes a problem on how drivers perceive such systems. Many may get the impression, and some are even convinced, that their car is self-driving, and that they can disengage from the driving task – social media is full of such examples of driver overreliance. Still, such Level 2 systems are only “assistance” systems. The driver is solely responsible for the control of the vehicle, has the task to monitor the traffic situation and needs to intervene to avoid a crash, if necessary. A Level 2 system must typically be driven “hands on”, the driver is not allowed to remove the hands from the steering wheel.

The description “Level 2+” is often used for vehicles that allow the driver to remove the hands from the steering wheel on certain roads and under the condition that the driver keeps his eyes on the road and is ready to intervene immediately in case of a need. The driver is not allowed to engage in tasks that would distract his attention from the traffic situation. Such Level 2+ vehicles still fall under the SAE taxonomy of Level 2. For now, only a limited number of countries allow such systems on their roads.

What all the “Levels” described so far have in common is that the driver is always liable in case of an incident, is fully responsible for the operation of the vehicle, usage of the assistance systems and monitoring of the traffic environment.

Level 3: Such a vehicle can be considered as a different “animal”, as now one moves from “assisted” driving into the world of “automated” driving. When the vehicle is capable to operate in Level 3 mode, the driver is allowed to disconnect from the driving task. He can be “hands off” and “eyes off” and engage in a secondary non-driving related task. However, the driver is not allowed to sleep or to leave the driver seat. He needs to remain available as a “fallback” to take back the driving control within a couple of seconds, if the vehicle requests him to do so. Under Level 3 operation the liability for incidents is with the vehicle, but as soon as the driver re-takes an active role in driving (e.g. steering), liability goes back to him. Hence it is crucial to precisely monitor who is in control of the vehicle (system or driver). Today a Level 3 operation of Automated Lane Keeping Systems, defined by UN regulation R157, is only allowed on highways! Beginning of 2022, the first R157 approved Level 3 vehicle entered the market and could be bought by end consumers.

Level 4: With this next step one moves from “automated” to “autonomous” driving and a driver is potentially no longer needed. The driver can completely disconnect, sleep, or the vehicle might even be driverless. In case of an issue that does no longer allow a regular autonomous operation, the vehicle should bring itself into a safe situation. A limitation for Level 4 however is that such vehicles are not yet capable to ensure an autonomous operation on any kind of roads or under any driving/weather conditions. Level 4 vehicles are e.g. “roboshuttles” that operate in specific, well-defined areas. They typically run along a predefined route but cannot bring you to any destination of your choice. There are also “robotaxis” nowadays that have a broader flexibility in their operational environment, however, still with limitations. Level 4 vehicles may no longer have a steering wheel or pedals. No Level 4 passenger car is commercially available for end consumers at the moment, but some vehicle manufacturers are working on them.

Level 5: This is the ultimate goal of fully autonomous driving. You can get into your vehicle, set a destination, and the vehicle will bring you there, no matter what kind of roads it needs to take, or what weather conditions. No further need for driver action, the car will do the job all alone until the end of the journey. Level 5 vehicles are a vision for the future, they do not exist today. They may be “pure” autonomous vehicles without any dedicated driver seat or driver controls, but they may also offer the full range of assistance or automation levels and the driver can chose whether he prefers to drive himself or to be driven.

IEE’s sensing solutions are a part of this assistance-automated-autonomous driving journey. Our Hands Off Detection (HOD) sensor is a crucial component to verify that the driver keeps his hands on the steering wheel when using a Lane Keeping Assist System (as Level 1 or Level 2 system), and it reliably monitors the transition between manual and automated driving for Level 3 vehicles. When owners of future Level 4 or 5 passenger cars are in the mood to drive themselves and use a lower Level mode, HOD will be there to verify their engagement in the driving task.

More on this topic: [SAE J3016, summarizing the key aspects of the different levels: SAE Levels of Driving Automation™ Refined for Clarity and International Audience]

How hands on/off detection helps comply with assisted/automated driving system regulations

ADAS – friend or foe?

The United Nations have initiated a couple of vehicle regulation activities related to assisted and automated driving systems in recent years. Two items were of key concern: ensure that the systems are safe AND that they are used in a safe way. Special focus was given to the role of the driver when using such systems.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) hold undeniably numerous advantages, but there is also a risk they might be misused, depending on how their Human-Machine-Interface is implemented and the driver’s behaviour. The social media abound of videos in which drivers take their hands off the steering wheel, execute side tasks, or even leave the driver seat as if their cars were self-driving and fully autonomous. Those vehicles, however, are only equipped with driver assistance systems (often referred to as “Level 2” systems) that require the driver to keep the hands on the steering wheel and to actively be engaged in the traffic. Drivers misusing their ADAS are a known issue, and the consequences can be dire. Crashes investigated by NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) in the United States clearly confirm that the lack of driver engagement played a key role.

Automated systems – Where clear communication interface is vital

When it comes to vehicles with automated driving capabilities (“Level 3”), the challenge is to make sure the driver understands which driving mode the vehicle is in: is the driver or the vehicle in control of the driving task? Also, how to ensure a safe transition between the driving modes? The “role change” involved when switching from automated to manual (or assisted) mode is critical for safety reasons: The task to monitor the traffic environment goes from the vehicle back to the driver. Therefore, before the control is returned to the driver, it must be clear to both driver and vehicle that it is the driver who is “back in the loop” This is also important from a liability point of view in case it is the vehicle that causes the crash: was the vehicle responsible (Level 3), or the driver (Level 2)?

Evolving technologies & safe drive – A regulatory affair

Two key regulations have been adopted to address the challenges mentioned above.

The UN Regulation 79 refers to Lane Keeping Assist Systems and includes a “hands off” detection requirement. If the driver removes hands from the steering wheel, an optical warning must be triggered after maximum 15 seconds, enhanced by further escalations such as acoustic warnings latest after 30 seconds. Should the driver still not grab the steering wheel, an emergency signal is triggered after 60 seconds and the lane keeping function is deactivated. New vehicle models on the European market with a Lane Keeping Assist System must comply with this hands-off detection requirement since April 2018.

Vehicles with automated driving capabilities entering the market these days legally allow the driver to take the hands off the steering wheel and the eyes off the road under certain conditions: On the highway only, with a maximum operational speed of 60 km/h. Such vehicles will have to comply to the UN Regulation 157 on Automated Lane Keeping Systems (ALKS), applicable since January 2021. The regulation mandates a “driver availability” function checking whether the driver is present in the driver seat and not sleeping. This is imperative to ensure that the driver is quickly available in case the vehicle would initiate a transition demand asking the driver to take back the control. On top, a full transition from automated back to manual driving requires a confirmation that the driver holds the steering wheel and that the eyes are directed on the road. If the confirmation does not take place, the vehicle would have to execute a minimum risk manoeuvre, ultimately bringing the vehicle to a halt.

HOD – The solution for a safe and smooth driving transition

Fast and reliable hands on/hands off detection can be ensured with our capacitive HOD sensor that entered that market already in 2013, as our lead customer recognized early on the need for securing driver engagement, long before any regulatory requirement. HOD, our in-house made sensing technology built on extensive expertise and quality checks, won the prestigious PACE award in 2018 – a sort of “Oscar” equivalent in the automotive supplier world.

The initial sensor was designed to identify the hands on/off status. Since then, we have constantly researched and upgraded it, so that today we bring its performance to the next level. Our latest multizone sensor is now capable to also classify the degree of driver control. Thus, it indicates whether the driver merely touches the steering wheel or whether he/she firmly grabs it. This brings a better view on how safely a driver is in control of the steering wheel.

In such sensitive and safety-critical situations as a driving mode change towards the driver, it is imperative to distinguish whether the driver has a safe grip of the steering. HOD therefore plays a key role in advanced driving functionalities and supports vehicle manufacturers in being compliant with the regulatory demands supporting safe driving as we evolve into the future.

“What makes me leave home with enthusiasm at 5 a.m. every day is the team I work with.”

Hi, Caroline! Give us a sense of who you are, as a person, and as an IEE employee.

I am a 40-year-old French woman, mommy of two, Zélie and Edgar. I see myself as a dynamic, optimistic, independent and demanding person. I work as a generic System Engineer for IEE in the Automated Driving business line.

Why did you decide to work for IEE in this field?

IEE has always been very active in the automotive area, promoting safety and comfort sensing solutions. As a child, I used to watch car documentaries on the television with my dad and was absolutely fascinated with the topic. Little did I know then that years down the road I would be visiting the Aston Martin and McLaren car manufacturing plants thanks to my job. At 23, I graduated with a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, U.S. I started to look for my first job and wanted to thrive in an international environment and luckily, my path took me to IEE. It was my first job interview ever, and bingo! Years later, I am still here.

How does your daily work look like and what are the challenges?

It is no joke when I say that no two days are ever the same. My challenges are various, but all exciting. On the one hand, I lead the cost optimization procedure for the Hands Off Detection (HOD) sensor mat – IEE’s highlight product for supporting assisted and automated driving functions, from purchasing to production. I also look for improvement opportunities for our HOD system. Add to this supporting the development of new production processes, purchasing activities of new materials or developing the automated driving products of tomorrow and you have a good view of how busy and diverse my daily professional life is.

What do you like most about your job?

I thoroughly enjoy working with different departments within IEE. As such, I relate to material sciences, manufacturing, simulation, purchasing, testing, quality, hardware and so on. Together, we never stop trying, again and again, not giving up until we achieve our targets as a team.

I also like the fact that I learn every day, I can work autonomously as well and I have a trustful boss, which makes the entire working experience so rewarding. But above all, what truly makes me leave home at 5h15am every day with enthusiasm is being part of this team I work with! 

Do you think IEE gave you the opportunity to experience something you could not have anywhere else?

Thanks to my responsibilities within IEE, I had the chance to work closely with IEE Korea for more than 10 years, which opened for me a new world and a culture I knew nothing about previously. I thus discovered some wonderful, hardworking colleagues with a very strong team spirit and a deep sense of respect. We’ve worked on challenging international/global projects which often meant long working evenings and even weekends, but the compensation came through pleasant after-work meals and stories that strengthened our bonds. I count these people among my friends since then and will always be grateful to IEE for having met them.