LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is an optical remote sensing technology, which measures the target’s distance and other parameters by irradiating a beam of light, usually a pulsed laser, to the target. LiDAR transmits light pulses and a receiver with a sensitive detector to measure the reflected light, by recording the time between emission and backscattering pulses, and using the speed of light to calculate the distance traveled to determine the distance to the object. In this process, LiDAR generates a deep, highly detailed 3D map of the environment surrounding the sensor.
A self-driving car is a vehicle that can sense the surrounding environment and drive safely with little or no human control. LiDAR can help vehicles “see” objects and determine the distance between them and these objects. It is one of the important components of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), which represents the integration of information and communication technology (ICT). The main goal of ITS is to reduce the number of traffic accidents and pedestrian fatalities through the realization of autonomous driving, and to enhance the transportation infrastructure system. In addition to ITS, autonomous driving also plays an important role in future industrial applications, such as AGV (Automatic Guided Vehicle).
In order to perceive the surrounding environment and imitate human driving, self-driving cars integrate various components into their sensors and vision systems. These components can be installed in millions of cars and work under different lighting and weather conditions. The use of high-quality, rugged precision imaging solutions, including 3D object resolution, static and dynamic object screening, and 360-degree horizontal coverage panoramic cameras, all need to transmit a large amount of real-time data, at this time bandwidth capacity is relatively important -Insufficient bandwidth will cause the loss of visual data for autonomous driving or interruption of bandwidth. Therefore, large-capacity bandwidth is also necessary for autonomous vehicles to create a seamless imaging system.
LiDAR for vehicles needs to be compatible with 12V/24V power supplies, which are common in autonomous vehicles and other vehicles. Any equipment powered by the vehicle should be able to accept 12V/24V power input and operate well under high load, low voltage and changing conditions.
LiDAR has become a rising star in the security field with a wide range of applications. LiDAR is an excellent detection technology that can be applied to intrusion detection and perimeter protection. Compared with other security systems, LiDAR works relatively reliably. Unlike video surveillance systems, LiDAR does not collect customers’ faces or other biometric features. The sensor data collected by LiDAR can only see points similar to the contour of the object in the field of view of the sensor, and cannot capture details like a camera. For example, in an airport, LiDAR can detect whether an object is a person or luggage, but it cannot detect which person or what type of luggage.
In smart cities, using LiDAR can better understand the traffic flow of vehicles and pedestrians, traffic classification, etc. LiDAR is a necessity for autonomous vehicles. During the pandemic, it can also be an effective tool for monitoring social distance. The current COVID-19 situation has also prompted the demand for LiDAR solutions.
