Three companies, ams, Ibeo Automotive Systems GmbH, and ZF Friedrichshafen AG have partnered to deliver the automotive industry’s first solid-state LiDAR systems. Just to refresh the memory cells, LiDAR is an optical sensing technology that measures distance and direction of the surrounding objects by illuminating them with a laser beam and detecting the reflection of the object. Its unique range and resolution properties complement radar and camera solutions to enable the ‘Holy Grail’ of the self-driving car industry – SAE level 5 or fully autonomous driving.
ams will provide automotive-grade VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) arrays and drivers which provide superior reliability and stability compared to competing light sources, such as edge emitters and LED. ams is the first to market with solid-state LiDAR illumination solutions, meaning no mechanical parts are needed to steer the light beam direction, improving reliability while reducing complexity, size, weight, and cost. Due to the high reliability and small form factor, solid-state LiDAR paves the way for massive LiDAR deployment in the automotive segment.
For more details, visit ams, Ibeo Automotive Systems GmbH, and ZF Friedrichshafen AG.