What are the categories of LiDAR sensing technology with broad prospects and diverse applications?

2024-02-26

With the integration of scanning, photography, satellite positioning, and inertial navigation systems, utilizing different carriers and the fusion of multiple sensors, three-dimensional point cloud data on the planet's surface can be directly obtained, thereby obtaining digital elevation models (DEM), digital surface models (DSM), digital orthophoto images (DOM), and digital line drawing (DLG), achieving a breakthrough in the technology of obtaining three-dimensional image data from LiDAR.

The working principle of LiDAR is very similar to radar. In short, it means using a laser as a signal source, and the pulse laser emitted by the laser hits trees, bridges, roads, and buildings on the ground, causing scattering. Some of the light waves will be reflected onto the receiver of the LiDAR. According to the principle of laser ranging, the distance from the LiDAR to the target point can be calculated.

What are the mainstream technological routes for LiDAR with promising prospects? At present, there are three mainstream technology routes in this market, namely scanning radar, MEMS LiDAR, and Flash Lidar. In terms of enterprise layout, as a representative of future autonomous driving core sensors, the core technology of LiDAR is mainly mastered by three foreign companies: Ibeo, Velodyne, and Quanergy.

Velodyne's mechanical LiDAR in the United States started early and has obvious technological advantages. At the same time, it has established cooperative relationships with autonomous driving enterprises such as Google, Ford, Uber, Baidu, and General Motors, occupying a large market share of in car LiDAR. In China, Baidu, Delphi, Daimler, ZF, Intel, and others have all established their presence in the field of LiDAR.

Analysts have pointed out that the future growth of China's autonomous driving software and hardware market will mainly come from LiDAR. For L3 level vehicles using LiDAR routes, a mechanical or about 5 solid-state radars are usually required, and LiDAR prices are relatively expensive. And the technology that matches the hardware of the LiDAR is also accelerating iteration and upgrading.

Lidar technology can to some extent meet the data needs of urban construction, land planning, virtual display, electronic entertainment, disaster prevention and control, and involves users in multiple industrial sectors such as surveying, electricity, land, planning, and transportation. From a classification perspective, there are currently three types of ranging technologies for LiDAR: TOF, FMCW, and AMCW. Among them, TOF and FMCW, as adopted solutions in the industry, have attracted many manufacturers to layout, and the application of AMCW technology is relatively limited.

At present, TOF technology is mainly used in the industry, which has the advantages of simple algorithms and low costs, and many manufacturers have already entered the market. As the number of TOF LiDAR entrants continues to increase, performance continues to improve, and prices gradually decrease, TOF will be more widely used in the future.

Along with the rapid progress of LiDAR technology, the market for related equipment is also constantly expanding. Once autonomous vehicles enter the mass production stage, it is expected that the market for LiDAR equipment will show a rapid growth trend. According to a research report released by MarketsandMarkets, the size of the LiDAR market is expected to grow from $844 million in 2019 to $2.273 billion in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of 18.5% from 2019 to 2024.

In the digital economy system or system architecture, data runs through and covers various scenarios. In the entire information system composed of perception, transmission, processing, storage, feedback, execution, etc., data is always transmitted. To truly play a role in sensing technology, it is necessary to consider various types of data comprehensively. As one of the core technologies of the digital economy, the development of sensing technology and equipment manufacturing industry will receive continuous attention from domestic and foreign people in the future.

More importantly, with the continuous penetration of new technologies and applications such as cloud computing, big data, the Internet of Things, and industrial Internet, information security, as a part of national security, has become increasingly important. Sensors serve as the gateway for information collection and the port for information security, and their security concerns personal privacy and the healthy development of the industry. Based on this, improving the security and usability of sensing technology applications will become the next breakthrough in its industry transformation.

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