Continental is to integrate AEye’s long-range lidar technology into its full sensor stack solution, as the company seeks to create the first full stack automotive-grade system for Level 2+ up to Level 4 automated and autonomous driving applications.
The Continental solution is based on AEye’s lidar technology, which forms a large part of the sensor setup for high-level automation systems. AEye’s technology will ensure that the radar, camera and ultrasonic technologies in Continental’s system are reliable and that its automated driving (AD) platform will be capable of handling a range of complex traffic scenarios alongside extreme weather conditions.
“Reliable and safe automated and autonomous driving functions will not be feasible without bringing the strengths of all sensor technologies together,” commented Frank Petznick, head of the ADAS business unit, Continental.
“Complex and safety critical traffic scenarios, such as obstacles on the road and fast vehicles passing on highways, require high automation systems to have a maximum sensing range and image resolution to ensure sufficient response time. A single technology approach cannot fulfil this requirement. Continental’s complementary approach also ensures that the system can operate in all environmental conditions, including low sun, heavy rain, dense fog and cold or hot temperatures.”
At present, Continental is industrializing AEye’s reference technology to enable mass market production.
“Our partnership with AEye is unique because it enables Continental to build a new long-range lidar in a very short time, based on AEye’s reference architecture and software,” explained Gunnar Juergens, head of the lidar segment, Continental. “We will manage the entire product lifecycle, including the development of a mass market product, as well as manufacturing, validation and testing according to automotive-grade standards.”
Continental is looking to launch the first solid-state short-range High Resolution 3D Flash LiDAR to the automotive market towards the end of 2021.
“With AEye’s adaptive lidar technology, OEMs can optimize the field of view and resolution of the sensor for different use cases with software,” said Petznick. “This is a natural fit with our configurable full stack platform that seamlessly integrates cameras, radars, and lidars with our Automated Driving Control Units and software solutions to give light and commercial vehicle manufacturers the ability to easily select and combine the ADAS features they want within a wide breadth of vehicle models.”