Despite that Tesla’s founder Elon Musk said that “Anyone relying on LiDAR is doomed,” the technology using lighting to detect, range, and imaging targeted areas and objects is believed to be critical for autonomous driving technology development.

Driven by the prospering development of autonomous driving technology, LiDAR companies across the world continue to expand their business and present new products.

Many consider solid-state LiDARs the solution to realize autonomous driving technology as they are much cheaper and lighter compared to mechanical LiDARs.

In order to push the development of autonomous driving technology, worldwide LiDAR developers continue to release new products and build partnerships with different industry players.

Velodyne, a leading LiDAR company and 3D sensor solution for autonomous vehicles and industrial robots, is going to showcase the latest product at CES 2020. LEDinside was honored to have a phone call interview with Rick Tewell, COO of Velodyne, to understand how the company’s fully rotation LiDAR system ushers in a new and incredible era of advanced 3D imaging technology in autonomous vehicles.

Excelitas Technologies Corp., a global technology leader delivering innovative, customized photonic solutions, announced that the company is developing LiDAR Lasers for the automotive industry.

Laser Components, a company providing optoelectronics components and laser diode for next generation LiDAR, announced cutting-edge advancements and achievements that are moving the sensors industry forward.

Sense Photonics, a company building the next generation LiDAR and 3D sensor solutions for autonomous vehicles, industrial equipment and other applications, announced a close of a US$26 million Series A funding round.

According to the latest report by LEDinside, a research division of TrendForce, titled “2020 Infrared Sensing Application Market Trend- Mobile 3D Sensing, LiDAR and Driver Monitoring System”, the market value of automotive LiDAR is expected to reach USD 127 million in 2019.

CASE – Connected, Autonomous/Automated, Shared and Electric was centered at AUTOMOTIVE WORLD this year. Following the topic, LEDinside visited several LiDAR and LiDAR component companies participating the event and learnt the latest trends and development in ADAS and self-driving technology.