Quanergy Systems have announced that next year they will introduce the world’s first solid-state LiDAR sensor for automated vehicles. The unit will cost of less than $1,000 per car—for automotive manufacturers. The company has not announced any plans to sell solid-state LiDAR units to consumers.
The sensor, as Quanergy describes it, “contains an integrated circuit that scans in every direction without any moving parts on both the macro and the micro scale, creating a live 3D view around a car, and detecting, classifying, and tracking objects in the scene.”
For more information about solid-state LiDAR and its possible availability to consumers, see SPAR’s reports on similar solutions developed by DARPA and CalTech. The CalTech solution, in particular, could one day make LiDAR sensors small enough to fit inside an average mobile phone.
In a prepared statement, Quanergy CEO Dr. Louay Eldada explained that the company’s system will be smaller and more affordable than any existing LiDAR solution. “This technology will make LiDAR usage ubiquitous not only for autonomous vehicles and advanced driver assist systems, but also for numerous other industry verticals, enabling cost savings and improved accuracy.”
Though the price of $1000 is low, Quanergy had previously announced their intention to produce a unit for $250, with a $100 unit to follow.
As SPAR has previously reported, the price is only one of the selling points for Quanergy’s LiDAR solutions. Another selling point is the company’s offer to produce the sensors to the specifications of each automaker they partner with. Such a custom solution would allow each manufacturer to integrate LiDAR seamlessly into their designs.
Quanergy’s current partners include Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai-Kia, and Renault-Nissan.
