LiDAR reaches the passenger car market
Image: Courtesy of Volvo
The roof-mounted sensor set in Volvo’s new electric SUV includes LiDAR technology that serves as the vehicles “eyes,” detecting potential hazards.
It’s with good reason that many equate LiDAR with autonomous vehicles. For those who aren’t familiar with the technology’s traditional applications—think geology, robotics and aviation—the acronym, which stands for “light detection and ranging,” became a buzzword when self-driving cars began to enter the marketplace.
Chatter about autonomous vehicles may have quieted a bit since then, but talk of smart, electric vehicles (EV) is filling the void—and, as if on cue, LiDAR is back for an encore. Last month, Volvo unveiled a new EV—the EX90—with a LiDAR sensor mounted on the roof to aid drivers in avoiding exterior obstacles.
The technology uses near-infrared light to detect the shapes of objects, helping cars “see” other road users, like pedestrians and cyclists, without the help of GPS or a network connection. According to Volvo, their new EV’s LiDAR system (manufactured by Luminar) has a range of 250 meters (820 ft) with the ability to detect “something as small and dark as a tire on a black road 120 meters (394 ft) ahead,” all while driving at highway speeds.
The company calls the safety package an essential ingredient in its quest to eliminate traffic fatalities, with internal research indicating that adding LiDAR to an already safe car can reduce accidents with severe outcomes by up to 20% and improve overall crash avoidance by up to 9%.
This time, there’s a chance that LiDAR chatter might stick around. A growing number of carmakers, including Mercedes, BMW and GM, have announced similar plans, and, according to a study from BloombergNEF, at least 17 automakers plan to produce LiDAR-equipped car models in the future.