LeddarTech Lab: Reaching True Autonomy Through LiDAR Technology
Pierre Olivier’s involvement in LiDAR technology runs throughout his 10 years with LeddarTech. Olivier, LeddarTech’s Chief Technology Officer, popped by The LeddarTech Lab to share his thoughts on how LiDAR is making true autonomy in vehicles a reality.
From highway on/off ramps to geographical areas, weather conditions, and time of day, the definition can be broad. Autonomous vehicle levels range from 0-5, with zero being no autonomous driving and five being total automation. For consumer-based driving solutions, Olivier believes advanced economically viable autonomous vehicle solutions (level 3 and above) are still a decade away.
“However, if you look at the level four fleet deployments both for robotaxis and goods like delivery, they are probably much closer, because the economic model is very different,” Olivier said.
LiDAR technology helps bridge the gaps in what today’s camera technology can do in vehicles.
LiDAR is an active solution. It’s more robust than cameras in conditions. Currently, a combination of cameras, radar, and LiDAR are required to handle autonomous functionality. It’s the 3D point cloud functionality of LiDAR that makes it so important for use in autonomous vehicles now, and it will continue to gain importance in the future.