Aeva and LG Subsidiary Partner for Lidar Chip Production

LG Innotek and Aeva Technologies Announce Manufacturing Partnership

LG Innotek, a key subsidiary of the South Korean conglomerate LG Group specializing in components and materials, has established a manufacturing collaboration with Aeva Technologies, a developer of advanced 4D lidar sensing systems.

This agreement centers on LG Innotek’s role in the production and supply of Aeva’s Atlas Ultra 4D lidar sensor, initially for automotive applications. Future expansion will see the technology implemented in areas like consumer electronics, robotics, and industrial automation.

Investment and Equity

As part of this strategic alliance, LG Innotek will invest up to $50 million in Aeva Technologies. This investment will result in LG Innotek acquiring approximately a 6% equity stake in the U.S.-based company.

According to Aeva’s co-founder and CEO, Soroush Salehian, the initial focus of the partnership is the automotive industry. LG Innotek will function as a manufacturing partner for several of the top ten global passenger vehicle manufacturers.

Aeva’s 4D Lidar Technology

Established in 2017, Aeva has invested close to $500 million in the development of its proprietary “4D lidar on a chip” technology.

Unlike traditional lidar systems that determine distance through time-of-flight measurements, Aeva utilizes frequency modulated continuous wave perception technology. This method simultaneously measures both distance and velocity for each pixel in real time, as Salehian explained.

“This advancement is akin to transitioning from black-and-white to color imagery,” he stated. “The addition of velocity data provides a crucial new dimension to the perception capabilities.”

Miniaturization and Scalability

Aeva has successfully integrated the complete lidar system, encompassing optics, into a silicon photonics module. This compact, chip-scale design facilitates more efficient manufacturing processes and seamless integration.

This design is particularly advantageous for scaling production across diverse markets, including automotive, robotics, and consumer electronics, Salehian noted.

Future Development and Expansion

The capital acquired through this deal will be allocated towards ongoing product development and the expansion of Aeva’s team.

“We have consistently focused on reducing the size of the hardware over the past eight years, and we intend to continue this trend,” Salehian said. “Our goal is to ultimately create a monolithic, single-chip solution.”

Strategic Partnerships and Market Reach

Aeva has also forged partnerships with Nikon in Japan and Sick AG in Germany, broadening its manufacturing network.

Furthermore, the company is extending its reach into smart infrastructure and transportation, providing security and monitoring solutions at prominent U.S. airports, such as SFO and JFK Terminal One.