Volvo has partnered with Luminar in the US to use Lidar technology. From 2022, Volvo cars will appear on the road with the new technology aimed at autonomous driving.
By working with Luminar, Volvo is taking the next step towards the autonomous future. Luminar’s Lidar technology uses a number of Lidar sensors. These emit millions of pulses of laser light to see where objects in the environment are located. This means that the system must make a reliable picture of the environment: ideal for autonomous techniques. Volvo is now preparing its upcoming SPA2 platform to handle the new Luminar sensors.
Volvo plans to introduce this new SPA2 version of its platform in 2022. The upcoming new XC90 is first in line to leverage that base. With the exception of the XC40, the entire current range uses the existing SPA base. From the intended production start, the renewed version of that base is then prepared for the necessary hardware of the Lidar technology. Volvo’s aim is to use the technology initially to ensure that its new models can drive autonomously on the highway. The new technology will also be used to further develop future active safety technologies. Volvo integrates the Lidar sensor into the narrow bar in the roof just above the windshield.
It is not the first time that Volvo has heard of autonomous driving. Volvo has already been testing cars in the field of autonomous technology for some time.