Lidar sensor combines compact design with high resolution
By using several sensors and combining the data with a perception-software package running on the ECU, the IbeoNEXT lidar sensor offers 360° detection of the space around the vehicle, making it a perfect solution for autonomous vehicles. Thus the product can be used in a number of applications designed for the automotive industry from traffic jam assistants to autonomous driving.
The ibeoNEXT solid-state lidar sensor has no moving parts; instead, it uses an approach that is entirely based on semiconductor technology. The absence of mechanical components makes the solid-state sensor more robust and therefore more reliable over a longer period, the vendor promises. Because of its compact design and light weight, it can also be integrated easily into a multitude of vehicle platforms and design. The sensor generates a 3D point cloud and an intensity image similar to a photo taken by a black-and-white camera – this is what takes the technology into the fourth dimension. The solid-state technology inside the lidar sensor also impresses through its wide range of 250 meters and its high spatial resolution of just 0.05 degrees.
The ibeoNEXT Lidar System consists of three major parts: Ibeo’s solid-state lidar sensors, lidar domain ECU (LDE) and proprietary perception software.
The sensors generate an integrated point cloud and intensity image of the environment. These provide essential information on the position of every object in the sensors’ field of view and are directly transferred to the LDE. It is a high-performance electronic control unit providing a safe computational environment for perception algorithms and sensor fusion systems. The LDE is designed to process data of different sensor technologies, such as lidar, imaging radar, or camera, and offers full flexibility to customers thanks to two different variants, which make it compatible with both air and liquid cooling solutions.
The perception software running on the LDE continually processes the raw sensor data to classify all surrounding objects as vehicles, infrastructure, or lane markings, and determine free space.
The compiled results are then transferred to the vehicle’s software, enabling a host of Level 3 automated driving functions and beyond.
Ibeo’s production site in Brest, France, was set up in collaboration with partner ZF Autocruise. Their combined efforts mean that the sensor is now ready for serial production.
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