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TECH WATCH
Regular, even casual, readers of this space, or any space dedicated to
technology underpinning self-driving vehicles, know one thing: LiDAR is
hot right now.
Quebec-based LeddarTech Inc. is the latest to secure another invest-
ment, but nine figures would seem to rank as one of the highest we've
seen. A combined investment of U.S. $101 million was led by Osram
( osram.com ) and included Delphi ( delphi.com ), Fiat subsidiary Magneti
Marelli ( magnetimarelli.com ) and Integrated Device Technology ( idt.
com ) as strategic investors. Also getting in is Fonds de solidarité FTQ.
LeddarTech says the investment will boost ASIC (application-specific
integrated circuit) work, help grow its R&D; team and quicken the pace of
its trial projects with Tier 1 supplier customers—including, presumably, the
aforementioned companies.
Upping the Ante on LiDAR
By Scott Anderson, Contributing Editor
Osram, which makes sensor lights for use in autonomous vehicles,
sees an advantage in teaming up with LeddarTech's optical sensing tech-
nology, which harnesses solid-state LiDAR. Meanwhile, Delphi sees solid
state LiDAR, at relatively low cost, as a key to fully autonomous systems
with OEMs.
The system is packaged into what the firm calls LeddarCore integrated
circuits and standard microcontrollers. The company's light wave digital
signal processing and software algorithms generate higher sensitivity
than other LiDAR methods the company claims. It has the ability to map
the environment over 360 degrees around the vehicle at a distance of
300 meters, with a field of view up to 120 degrees.
LeddarTech sensors are used in automotive applications as well as
drones and industrial vehicles.
This Osram rendering shows how Eviyos illuminates surroundings in high-
beam light, but in a targeted way that doesn't blind other drivers.
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GEAR GEAR