May 30, 2019

Learn with Leonardo: Advancing Autonomous Vehicle Technology

In a recent webinar VP of Sales and Marketing, Robert Walker, discussed the many advancements in the autonomous vehicle market, including increasing requirements, new technology options, and the questions remaining for engineers.

The marketplace currently utilizes several types of illumination sources and sensors for automotive; however as each option becomes more advanced, new technologies have simultaneously emerged. Robert explores this in the webinar and outlines the latest key technologies while highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each. 

Capability Short Range Radar (24 GHz) Long Range Radar (77 GHz) Ultrasonic Vision Infra Red Lidar
Short Range 
(0 to 2 m)
           
Nominal Range

         
Long Range

         
Wide Vertical FOV >30°            
Night Operation            
Cost            

 

Needs Improvement
Barely Satisfactory
Good
Very Good
Ideal Solution

*Source: "LiDAR: Driving the Future of Autonomous Navigation", Frost & Sullivan, 2016

Many of us have already had the opportunity to observe these technologies in action. The industry has expanded from Level 1 assisted driving in 2013 with Active Cruise Control and Lane Departure Warning Systems to more advanced Park Assist and Lane Keep Assist in the last couple of years. To date, many of these features have relied on radar. However, as illustrated in the webinar, today's market shows lidar sources have taken an overwhelming hold on the expected ability to reliably achieve new requirements such as:

  • Automotive Emergency Braking
  • Driver Motioning
  • Automotive Pilot
  • Traffic Jam Assist

The webinar, Ultra-short Pulse NIR and SWIR Laser Diode Illuminators for Automotive Lidar, also demonstrates the capabilities required to build lidar systems in order to meet these new requirements. The webinar provides a comprehensive overview from highlighting considerations for integration and cost demands to talking through data on the state-of-the-art near-infrared (NIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR) sources.

Download the webinar recording!


We previously talked through the obstacles involved in developing an automotive lidar system. Learn more about the challenges in getting started by downloading our white paper, The Race to the Starting Line: Edge-Emitting Diode Lasers vs. VCSELs for the Automotive Lidar Market.