Tom Laux, director of business development and sales for Continental’s high-resolution Flash LiDAR division, said that Continental’s suppliers are unable to determine whether the industry needs LiDAR. Obviously, five 9-bits cannot be achieved with a single laser pointer awareness. performance. He suggested that “three sensors should be combined, and a 2D sensor like a camera can image signal colors, traffic signs and lane markers. Radar to determine speed, LiDAR provides accurate angular resolution and 3D in a more precise way. Imaging.”
But how do you reduce costs to levels that OEMs can seriously consider? The answer lies in the solid-state solution, which Laux simply defines as having no moving parts. By reducing the cost by integrating all mechanical components onto the microchip, everything built using semiconductor based manufacturing technology will follow the same cost curve based on the size of the manufacturing environment. He said, “In other words, the more you produce, the cheaper these things will become over time.” Another key benefit is the removal of mechanical parts, meaning that you will get better reliability.
However, Eichenholz also pointed out that we should not overemphasize the concept of “solid state”. The most important thing is that suppliers can provide scalable systems that can meet performance requirements and mass production. Laux agrees with this view and says that only when performance requirements are met can the cost reduction begin. Luminar’s system is built from the bottom up. Doing so helps the company address the many challenges encountered at the beginning, including scanning scope issues.