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TECH WATCH The race is on for next generation LiDAR technology that will be the foundation of autonomous driving and big investors are making chase. The latest example is Israeli firm Oryx Vision ( oryxvision.com ), which recently raised $50-million in a second round of venture capital financing. Third Point Ventures and WRV led the round, which included Union Tech Ventures, and existing investors Bessemer Venture Partners, Maniv Mobility and Trucks VC. Oryx has raised a total of $67-million since 2016. Oryx says its LiDAR system has no moving parts and relies on sili- con-based microscopic antennas to detect light wave frequencies to create an accurate picture of its real-world surroundings. Oryx's technology is superior to systems that rely on photodetectors to interpret the energy of light particles because its antennas are resistant to interference from other LiDARS as well as pesky sunlight, according to the company. In fact, Investing Big in LiDAR (Again) By Scott Anderson, Contributing Editor Oryx claims its system is "a million times more sensitive" than, tra- ditional LiDAR. The new financing will go toward developing the technology, which Oryx says will be available for car-based testing in the second half of 2018. Eyes on You Are you feeling sleepy? Distracted, perhaps? Are you, in fact, the rightful owner of this vehicle? These are questions a future vehicle's instrument panel could soon be asking—and answering—in fractions of a second, as computer vision and software combine with human-machine interfaces that recognize faces and react accordingly. The Oryx LiDAR sytem uses a sensor that's roughly the same cost of a smartphone camera. . Eying this tech trajectory are Jabil Inc. ( jabil.com ) and eyeSight Technologies ( eyesight-tech.com ), which signed a partnership to develop in-car sensing technology that evaluates whether the driver is "active and aware." Jabil makes optical technology and other electronics, and eyeSight supplies computer vision and deep-learning software. The companies have linked up to produce a system that identifies drivers through facial recognition, assesses driver attentiveness by the position of the head and tracking eyelids, and even measures driver distraction through iris tracking. The technology theoretically could also enable touch-free controls through modest gestures. "The accuracy, intelligence and effi- ciency of the system we're developing will enable automakers to implement in-car sensing systems across all vehicle types," says Lisa Bahash, senior vice president at Jabil Automotive Group. In-car sensing system IDs drivers through facial recognition, assesses attentiveness by head position and eyelid tracking. 12 GEAR GEAR