Luminar Partners with Volvo to Sell Automated Driving Systems

Luminar Technologies and Volvo Cars Expand Autonomous Driving Partnership

Luminar Technologies has strengthened its collaboration with Volvo Cars, aiming to jointly develop and ultimately market an automated driving system specifically designed for highway use to a wider range of automotive manufacturers. This expanded partnership involves Luminar and Zenseact, Volvo’s dedicated autonomous driving software division.

Developing a Comprehensive Autonomous System

The two organizations are integrating their respective technologies to create what Austin Russell, Luminar’s founder and CEO, terms a “holistic autonomous vehicle stack.” This stack is engineered for integration into production vehicles, with Volvo designated as the initial customer. Both Russell and Ödgärd Andersson, CEO of Zenseact, have indicated plans to extend availability of this system to other automakers.

Defining Highway Autonomy

The envisioned highway autonomy, as defined by Luminar and Zenseact, will enable hands-free and eyes-free autonomous operation on highways. This implies complete driver disengagement, eliminating the need for driver intervention during highway driving. Successfully managing the transition between autonomous and manual control remains a significant challenge for the automotive industry.

Russell emphasized the near-term availability of this technology, stating it will be incorporated into vehicles available for purchase, beginning with Volvo models, and subsequently offered to other manufacturers.

Introducing the Sentinel System

The system offered to other automakers will be known as Sentinel. It will combine Zenseact’s OnePilot autonomous driving software with Luminar’s Iris lidar, perception software, and associated components.

• Sentinel is designed for highway autonomy.
• It incorporates safety features to proactively avoid collisions.
• Evasive maneuvers are included to reduce accident rates, potentially by as much as seven times, according to Zenseact.

Furthermore, the Sentinel product will support over-the-air updates, allowing for expansion of its operational capabilities and continuous improvement of vehicle safety.

Zenseact’s Role and Expertise

While potentially unfamiliar to some, Zenseact comprises a team of 550 professionals with extensive experience in ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems) and software development. The company was established by Volvo following the dissolution of its joint venture with Veoneer.

Focus on Production Vehicles

Luminar and Zenseact are prioritizing the delivery of systems for series production vehicles, diverging from the industry’s broader focus on robotaxi applications. Lidar sensors are widely considered a crucial technology for the safe deployment of autonomous vehicles by both automakers and technology companies.

As the timeline for commercial robotaxi deployment has extended, automakers are increasingly concentrating on developing more immediate technologies for production vehicles.

A Commitment to Safety

Andersson highlighted the core objective of autonomous driving technology: “The whole point of autonomous driving technology is to reduce accidents and save lives. This alliance enables us together to make that technology more broadly accessible and thus even more impactful.”

Building on Previous Announcements

This announcement follows Volvo’s earlier declaration, made approximately ten months prior, regarding the commencement of vehicle production in 2022 equipped with Luminar’s lidar and a perception stack, intended for the deployment of an automated driving system for highways. Volvo has also affirmed its acceptance of full liability for the operation of this automated driving system.

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