New Crystal Group RACEtm accelerates autonomous vehicle development

HIAWATHA, Iowa, Jan. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Crystal Group Inc., a leading designer/manufacturer of rugged computer hardware for industry and defense, is introducing the first product in the new Crystal Group RACEtm (Rugged Autonomous Computer Equipment) line, engineered to accelerate autonomous vehicle (AV), automated driving system (ADS), and unmanned (UAV) projects. The Crystal Group RACE0161 high-performance, rugged computer is specifically designed to help engineers shorten development time, bringing autonomous vehicle innovations to market ahead of their competitors. The fast-paced autonomous industry is estimated to be worth trillions of dollars. 

Autonomous driving technology is quickly ushering in a new economy predicted to achieve unprecedented growth and reach $7 trillion by 2050, according to a new study by Intel Corporation and Strategy Analytics. Crystal Group and Intel have partnered together to provide autonomous solutions for several leading OEM's to date. The partnership will continue to tap the booming autonomous market with leading edge technology of Crystal Group's new RACE offerings.

Crystal Group's latest autonomous vehicle computer provides the horsepower AV and ADS projects need, combining robust I/O, multiple GPU capacity, dual Intel® Xeon® Scalable Processors, sophisticated thermal management, and other high-quality components stabilized in a rugged, aluminum enclosure measuring just 6.5 x 14.1 x 15.6 inches and weighing 30 to 40 pounds. Processing real-time data of LIDAR, RADAR, image, and sensor fusion, the Crystal Group RACE0161 combines impressive compute power, data-handling capabilities, and storage capacity in a compact, rugged solution capable of withstanding harsh environmental conditions, including potholes, collisions, and extreme temperatures that are likely to cause traditional systems to fail.

"The new RACE0161 and the entire line of Crystal Group RACEtm products ease AV and ADS development and give our customers the advantage of quick time-to-market with a safe, reliable, high quality AV solution," Crystal Group Executive Vice President of engineering, Jim Shaw says. "Our RACE solutions leverage decades of experience engineering rugged, reliable compute solutions for US and international military programs, as well as some of the world's largest car manufacturers," adds Shaw.

Crystal Group RACE systems are built for safety and reliability, tapping 30 years of experience tailoring high-performance, fail-safe rugged hardware for hundreds of military and aerospace missions, as well as challenging industrial, critical infrastructure, and commercial programs, including some of the hottest OEM autonomous vehicles. Crystal Group also offers its award-winning RS363S15F 3U Rugged Server, designed and developed in collaboration with Intel®, for use in autonomous vehicles.

About Crystal Group Inc.
Crystal Group Inc., a technology leader in rugged computer hardware, specializes in the design and manufacture of custom and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) rugged servers, embedded computing, networking devices, displays, power supplies, and data storage for high reliability in harsh environments. An employee-owned small business founded in 1987, Crystal Group provides the defense, government and industrial markets with in-house customization, engineering, integration, configuration management, product lifecycle planning, warranty, and support services.

Crystal Group products meet or exceed IEEE, IEC, and military standards (MIL-STD-810, 167-1, 461, MIL-S-901); are backed by warranty (5+ year) with in-house support; and are manufactured in the company's Hiawatha, Iowa, USA, facility certified to AS9100C:2009 and ISO 9001:2008 quality management standards.

© 2018 Crystal Group Inc.  All rights reserved. All marks are property of their respective owners. Design and specifications are subject to change.

SOURCE Crystal Group Inc.