Features
27 nov 18

Volvo Cars and Luminar to show autonomous technology in LA

Volvo Cars already announced that it wouldn’t show a single car on its stand at Automobility LA later this week. What they will showcase, however, is their advanced state of technological development. Together with Luminar, a start-up in the development of core sensing technology for autonomous vehicles, the Geely-owned Swedish carmaker will demonstrate the newest generation of LiDAR sensor and perception capabilities, through a special virtual reality station demonstrating the vision both partners have of autonomous travel. 

The ongoing development of LiDAR technology, which uses pulsed laser signals to detect objects, is crucial in creating safe autonomous cars because the technology allows them to drive in complex traffic environments and at higher speeds by providing reliable long-range perception capabilities.

The new perception capabilities of the system make it possible to detect human poses including limbs such as arms and legs, a level of detail which was not previously possible with this type of sensor. The new technology can detect objects at a range of up to 250 meters, a much further range than any LiDAR technology currently available.

It is with LiDAR technology that Volvo wants to realise its vision for autonomous driving, as already showcased earlier this year in the Volvo 360c concept, a holistic view of a autonomous, electric, connected and safe future of travel. The concept imagines four potential uses of autonomous driving vehicles – a sleeping environment, mobile office, living room and entertainment space. The 360c also wants to serve as a proposal for a global standard in how autonomous vehicles can safely communicate with all other road users.

Earlier this year Volvo Cars invested in Luminar through the Volvo Cars Tech investment fund that targets high-potential technology start-ups. That investment further deepened Volvo’s collaboration with Luminar, which focused on development and testing of their sensing technology on Volvo cars.

Source and Photo: Volvo Cars

Authored by: Stijn Blanckaert