In the future, vehicles with lidar technology could be available at car dealerships. Lidar is a word that stands for light detection and ranging.
It was first developed in 1953 by Middleton and Spilhaus. The technology we know today measures distances by determining the time it takes for a laser to travel from the source to the target and back.
How Lidar Impacts Autonomous Driving
It’s no secret that automakers have been working hard to equip completely autonomous driving technology on cars. Many modern cars now have at least semi-autonomous driving systems. However, progress is still being made toward fully autonomous driving systems. Lidar is an important technology that could realize this ability in the future.
The goal of automotive lidar is to craft precise 3D maps of the vehicle’s immediate surroundings. The maps would then help an autonomous system to detect and navigate around obstacles, including pedestrians and other vehicles. Lidar combines with cameras and radar to give the system a comprehensive view of its surroundings.
As previously mentioned, lidar works by calculating the time it takes for a laser signal to travel from the source to the target and back. The time of flight has to be determined for each location to create a point cloud, which then makes up the 3D model of the area around the vehicle.
How Lidar Can Change the Automotive Industry
Lidar is poised to change the car industry with improvements to safety, navigation, and autonomous driving. It’s not certain when such cars will be common at car dealerships, but one of the main ways lidar systems can change the car industry is through the precise mapping process detailed above.
Lidar technology is also crucial for the development of vehicle autonomy. By creating a precise view of the vehicle’s surroundings, lidar systems can help self-driving cars make accurate decisions and navigate complex environments safely. Lidar also works with other sensor systems to enhance perception around the vehicle, including in low light or bad weather.
Finally, lidar systems can help reduce accidents by allowing the car to recognize potential accidents. Lidar technology is also amazingly versatile and can be used in various situations, which makes it reliable in many settings, such as highways, rural roads, and cities.
What’s In a Lidar System?
The two main parts of a lidar system are a laser rangefinder and a scanner. The laser transmitter is the main part of the laser rangefinder. The transmitter works by using a modulated beam of light to cover the target. A photodetector is the other part of the system that processes the reflected photons and converts them into an electrical signal. The third part of the system is the optics. These concentrate the signal onto the photodetector.
Finally, electronics are used to process the signal and calculate the distance between the laser and the target. The scanning system directs laser beams in a variety of different elevations and azimuths to help create the aforementioned 3D map.
It might be some time before you can find cars with advanced lidar systems at car dealerships, but progress is being made. It’s being adopted wherever possible in the automotive industry.
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