May 22, 2019 – ams, a supplier of sensor solutions, announces that it has signed an agreement to team with Ibeo Automotive Systems GmbH, the German specialist for automotive LiDAR sensor technology, and ZF Friedrichshafen AG, a technology company for mobility worldwide to advance solid-state LiDAR technology for use in autonomous driving and other applications. The three companies will partner on joint R&D efforts to ensure that this technology can be adopted by 2021.
LiDAR is an optical sensing technology that measures distance and direction of the surrounding objects by illuminating them with a laser beam and detecting the reflection of the object. Its range and resolution properties complement radar and camera solutions to enable the ‘Holy Grail’ of the self-driving car industry – SAE level 5* or fully autonomous driving.
ams will provide automotive-grade VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) arrays and drivers, such as edge emitters and LED. ams has solid-state LiDAR illumination solutions, meaning no mechanical parts are needed to steer the light beam direction.
