Hesai Technology Showcases New Automotive-Grade Hybrid Solid-State Lidar AT128 at CES 2022

Hesai Technology, a company focusing on lidar technology for autonomous driving and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), showcased its new automotive-grade lidar sensor at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2022) in Las Vegas on Thursday. AT128 is a long-range hybrid solid-state lidar for ADAS applications.

Hesai’s AT128

Hesai’s AT128 is a directional long-range hybrid solid-state lidar designed for ADAS applications in mass production passenger and commercial vehicles. It combines high performance, compact design and high reliability. With its consistent resolution over the full field of view (FOV), AT128 is also algorithm-friendly. It has a small form factor, which enables seamless integration into the vehicle. AT128 provides the essential perception capabilities that L3+ autonomous vehicles require.

AT128 features an ultra-high measurement frequency of over 1.53 million points per second (single return), resulting in image-level resolution. Each AT128 incorporates 128 high-power multi-junction VCSEL arrays, enabling genuine 128-channel e-scanning. Such design avoids the reliability and limited lifetime issues caused by high-speed two-dimensional mechanical scanning. It also provides an unstitched ultra-wide 120° horizontal FOV and image-like structured data, bringing more convenience to autonomous vehicle algorithms. 

AT128 has a ranging capability of 200 meters at 10% reflectivity, with effective ground detection as far as 70 meters. It is one of the few hybrid solid-state lidars on the market that can detect objects at such a long range, while also reaching such a high measurement frequency.

Designed for mass production, AT128 is an automotive-grade lidar with high reliability. All key components meet AEC-Q and other relevant standards. AT128 has undergone more than 50 design validation (DV) tests, conducted according to internationally recognized OEM standards such as electrical, mechanical, environmental, sealing, material and EMC tests.

AT128 has been developed based on Hesai’s new-generation proprietary lidar ASICs, which greatly simplify the traditionally complex assembly process. This increases manufacturing efficiency and consistency for mass production needs. More importantly, it significantly reduces costs while maintaining high performance and reliability.

Hesai’s AT128 has already been nominated by multiple ADAS programs, totaling several million units in lifetime, such as Li Auto, JiDU, HiPhi and Lotus. The sensor will begin mass production in 2022.

Hesai’s QT128

At CES 2022, Hesai also unveiled a new sensor, QT128 – a short-range lidar with a 105° ultra-wide vertical field of view (VFOV). QT128 is an ideal blind spot solution for L4 applications such as robotaxis and robotrucks. It features an industry-leading ultra-wide VFOV, allowing it to see more of its surroundings than other available lidar sensors. QT128 also has an automotive-grade design; its manufacturing process is guided by automotive product lifecycle standards, giving it ultra-high reliability and a long operating lifetime.

QT128 is capable of outputting calibrated reflectivity values, delivering environmental details and enhancing the overall perception system. It has optimized horizontal and vertical resolution, which gives the perception system finer details in focused areas. QT128 will begin mass production in Q1 2023.

Hesai plans to demo multiple lidars at CES, including from its Pandar Series, QT Series, and XT series. Hesai’s complete sensor portfolio is already widely used for robotaxis, robotrucks, autonomous shuttles, delivery robots, smart city infrastructure and other applications.

SEE ALSO: Hesai Technology Partners With NVIDIA, Providing Lidar For NVIDIA DRIVE Platform