LiDAR News: Livox, Apple, Canon-Pioneer, ON Semi

Livox goes though a learning cycle that incumbent LiDAR companies like Velodyne went a long time ago:

"After hearing from end-users about their specific needs, we’re releasing three new Livox Mid Series firmware for special application testing.

Multi-Return Firmware:

This firmware is designed for situations where the LiDAR laser may hit multiple objects simultaneously and produce multiple returns. It allows users to receive these multiple returns instead of the standard single return.

Short-Blind-Zone Firmware:

This firmware reduces the blind zone from 1 meter down to 0.3 meters which is helpful for shorter range detection applications like interior 3D modeling and mapping.

Threadlike-Noise Filtering Firmware:

This firmware supports processing for threadlike-noise points produced by consecutive return signals and allows you to set the depth of these points to zero."

Livox demos its scanning pattern at Tech.AD Berlin 2019 event:

Reuters reports that Apple has held talks with at least four LiDAR companies as possible suppliers for its self-driving cars, evaluating the companies’ technology while also still working on its own LiDAR design.

Apple is seeking LiDARs that would be smaller, cheaper and more easily mass produced than the current technology. The designs could potentially be made with conventional semiconductor manufacturing. Apple also wants sensors that can see at several hundred meters distance.

Pioneer and Canon announce that the companies have entered into an agreement to co-develop a 3D-LiDAR sensor.

Pioneer has been pursuing the development of compact, high-performance MEMS mirrors that can be produced at a low cost with the aim of mass production from 2020 onwards. In addition to developing object recognition algorithms and vehicle ego-localization algorithms, the company provided its 2018 3D-LiDAR sensor models to companies for testing in September 2018. Additionally, in January 2019, Pioneer established a new organizational structure that integrates autonomous-vehicle-related R&D, technology development and business development to further accelerate the growth of its autonomous vehicle business.

The companies will engage in the joint development of a 3D-LiDAR sensor towards the goal of mass production by Pioneer.

ON Semi fuses SiPM depth map with a regular AR0231 image in this demo: