Advanced AV tech at LA show

Ground-breaking autonomous development has been revealed by Volvo and AV core sensing tech start-up Luminar at Automobility LA 2018.

The most advanced Lidar sensor and perception capabilities to date are demonstrated at the automotive trade show in Los Angeles from November 26-29.

The ongoing development of Lidar technology, which uses pulsed laser signals to detect objects, is crucial in creating safe autonomous vehicles (AVs).

It allows AVs to navigate safely in complex traffic environments and at higher speeds by providing them with reliable long-range perception capabilities.

Under the Luminar/Volvo Cars partnership, developments make it possible for the Lidar system to detect human poses, including individual limbs, a level of detail not previously possible with this type of sensor.

The new technology is also able to detect objects at up to 250 metres, much further range than any Lidar technology available.

“Autonomous technology will take driving safely to a new level, beyond human limitations,” Volvo Cars research and development senior vice-president Henrik Green says. “This promise to improve safety is why Volvo Cars wants to be a leader in autonomous drive. Ultimately, the technology will also create new benefits for our customers and society as a whole.

“Luminar shares our ambition in making those benefits a reality and this new perception technology is an important next step in that process.”

Earlier this year, Volvo Cars took a stake in Luminar via the Volvo Cars Tech Fund, an investment fund that targets high-potential technology start-ups.

A virtual reality station demonstrating Volvo Cars’ 360c concept AV first presented in September and the company’s AV vision features at Automobility LA.