Inside vendors: Luminar | CarExpert

With a few notable exceptions like Tesla, there are agreements among companies pursuing Level 4 or Level 5 autonomous driving systems that a triple camera, radar and LiDAR sensor is required to develop a truly safe driverless car.

More recently, LiDAR is also part of an array of sensors for automakers developing advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) such as the Level 3 Driver Pilot system available on the Ford model. Latest. Mercedes-Benz S-Class and EQS.

Luminar is a relatively new startup dedicated to developing LiDAR technologies suitable for use in ADAS systems and eventually autonomous vehicles. More recently, Volvo announced that it will use the LiDAR system from Luminar as part of its safety suite and ADAS for its next-generation EX90 large SUV.

So what is LiDAR, and how is Luminar’s technology different from the standard?

What is LiDAR?

LiDAR (light detection and range) is a system that detects objects and their distance through an infrared wavelength laser, which is beyond the range of human vision.

Although the concept of LiDAR has been around since the 1960s and it has been used for aerospace purposes since the 1970s, the technology has only entered the automotive sector in the last 30 years.

In the 1990s, a LiDAR-based adaptive cruise control system was offered on various vehicles in the Japanese domestic market such as the Mitsubishi Debonair and Diamante (later related to the Mitsubishi Magna/Verada), as well as the Toyota Celsior, an upstart Lexus. LS.

Over the past 10 years, LiDAR technology for automotive applications has improved dramatically in terms of the resolution of LiDAR sensors (i.e. how precisely the shape and size of an object can be generated). ) and their range (the maximum distance they can detect objects).

Along with other advancements, this also allows LiDAR to play a role in more complex autonomous driving systems such as traffic jam assistants.

Who is Luminar?

Luminar was founded in 2012 by 17-year-old prodigy Austin Russell. With a focus on substantial innovation based on the existing, the company initially tried to develop its technology without causing widespread publicity, adopting a strategy of designing and manufacturing key components for LiDAR sensor in-house instead of buying off-the-shelf parts.

Achieving greater recognition in 2017 and 2018, one of Luminar’s standout announcements was its partnership with its first major automaker, Toyota, through the Toyota Research Institute (TRI). . TRI chose to use Luminar’s LiDAR system as part of the sensor suite in Platform 2.1 automated test vehicles, a team of Lexus LS sedans are modified to accommodate a multitude of different sensors.

Today, the company is headquartered in Orlando, Florida and has more than 400 employees and its own factory. It becomes a publicly traded company in 2020 and trades under the stock ticker ‘Lazr’ on Nasdaq. Its current market capitalization is around US$2.76 billion (AU$4.3 billion).

Key innovations and technologies

Luminar has had a strong focus on its automotive technology applications, and this means that its key innovations have focused on making LiDAR safe, accurate and reliable with a wide range of concerns. wide coverage without being expensively purchased by automakers.

Technically, this has translated into three main areas of innovation, namely the wavelength, the scope method used (the way LiDAR measures distances to objects, or ‘pixels’, has been reflected back in again) and field coverage methods (i.e. how LiDAR distributes light and produces a three-dimensional image of its surroundings).

Conventional LiDAR uses a near-infrared wavelength of about 905 nm (nanometers), which although invisible, can still pose a risk to human vision. This limits the power of the laser that can be used, and thus affects other factors such as the maximum range of the LiDAR.

In contrast, Luminar chose to use a design with a wavelength longer than 1550 nm, which qualifies as a Class 1 laser, which poses minimal danger to the eye and thus allows Luminar to enhance the power of the laser to enable detection. at a longer range.

Another innovation is the direct time-of-flight technique that Luminar’s LiDARs use as a different method.

To determine the distance of an object, a strong but short pulse of light is emitted (typically about 100 photons with pulse durations between 2 and 15 nanoseconds). Luminar claims this allows for very fast measurement speeds, eliminates speed-dependent range errors and is also capable of distinguishing between light reflected from physical objects, or reflected or scattered light. dispersed due to atmospheric conditions such as fog.

For automotive applications, the company claims these benefits make direct time-of-flight measurement superior to alternatives such as single photon detection or modulated continuous wave techniques. frequency (FMCW), it takes longer to make accurate measurements.

In the end, Luminar chose to combine the above technologies with a biaxial scanning mirror as the way of light distribution. Luminar claims this approach provides the best balance between cost and durability, by being less affected by temperature, vibration and other shocks, while saving costs to manufacture and delivering economies of scale.

The company notes that other technologies such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and silicon photonics are more expensive to manufacture, or less durable and more sensitive to changes in temperature.

User of Luminar . technology

Luminar claims to have partnerships with more than 50 commercial entities, including several major car manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, Volvo/Polestar, and Nissan. Luminar also serves as a supplier to other automotive vendors, including Intel’s Mobileye, as well as supplying the Iris LiDAR system to Nvidia as part of its future ‘Drive Hyperion’ autonomous driving platform. .

Perhaps the most notable debut of Luminar technology will be the use of its LiDAR system in Volvo EX90 coming soonmarks the debut of technology on a mass-produced vehicle sold globally.

Volvo claims the use of Luminar’s LiDAR sensor will allow it to detect pedestrians up to 250m in front of the vehicle, and be able to distinguish between dark or black road tires up to 120m in front of the vehicle.