LIDAR : Digital Eye for Autonomous Vehicles

[Summary]
LIDAR is a technology that can detect distance to objects and properties by reflecting the laser on the target. It is capable of detecting neighboring objects, features, and so forth and modeling them into 3D images. As self-driving cars become a reality, the LIDAR sensor is drawing attention as a technology that will serve as an eye for self-driving cars.

[3D map made of pulse lasers]
It's dark in the well and I can't see very well. What should we do to measure the depth of the well? If you toss a stone around you, you'll be able to roughly estimate the depth of the well depending on when you hear it fall to the ground. The same is true of LIDAR technologies.

LIDAR stands for " Light Detection And Ranging " or " Laser Imaging, Detection and Ranging ", which measures the speed, velocity and distribution of pulse lasers to target, and the time it takes to measure their distribution. LIDAR carries out the work and collects the results in what is called a " point cloud. " The cloud works in real time like a 3D map of the real world.

(Image from Youtube)

A highly precise map made of LIDAR can not only show where an object is located, but can also identify which one. It is also known that LIDAR is capable of mapping nonmetallic objects, rocks, rain, clouds, aerosol, and even single molecules. Due to the laser beam, the LIDAR is also called the " laser radar, " which uses radio waves, while the LIDAR uses a pulse laser.

[Is it possible to overcome the high price barriers and skills?]
However, it is also considered a limitation of LIDAR's ability to commercialize the product because of its high price. " Only if we manage to achieve good manual optical image recognition can we move under all conditions (autonomous vehicles), " Tesla CEO Il-Mark said. " We think it is expensive, ugly and unnecessary. " Tesla considers that development of forward radars, ultrasound, and cameras could complement the functions Rayda performs.

(Image from NAVER)
LIDAR's costs are a few million won ($ 10 million), so are other companies. In January last year, John Craftsk-Weimo, CEO of the company, said that he bought Layda for 75,000 dollars when he started developing self-driving cars in 2009. It is worth 100 million won ($ 100,000), making it significantly cheaper now, but still not suitable for mass production.