As the automotive industry advances closer to providing a truly autonomous driving experience, the technologies needed to make this possible are becoming more powerful than ever. Lidar is a large part of these advancements, and yet there are still barriers to ensuring vehicles have the capabilities needed to move autonomously. Let’s explore.
I like to look at autonomous driving through the lens of a four-story building under construction. Levels 1 and 2 are in place, with features such as adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking.
Levels 3 and 4 are being developed. At full capacity, Level 3 will incorporate environmental detection into vehicles, while Level 4 will allow operation in fully autonomous, self-driving mode. Many companies are investing in the R&D behind the needed tech for Level 3 and Level 4, and, as a result, the technology is evolving but not complete.
Where does the technology stand? Right now, there are cameras that give a good, 2D view of the environment, but they can’t tell whether the items are moving, and can’t accurately determine how far away an object is without using multiple frames and cameras, especially at long range.
Radar, on the other hand, can tell you how far away an object is and its direction, but in a pixelated view. While these are good advancements, there are obvious issues when it comes to enabling Level 4 because vehicles need to be able to tell the difference between a man and a manhole cover on the street.
What stands constant is the fact that short- and long-range lidar sensing is a must-have for the future of autonomy.