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As passenger mobility becomes electric and more technologically advanced, engineers have developed several components to make car travel easier, more efficient, and, most importantly, safer. One of those emerging technologies is LiDAR, which has several benefits for OEMs who integrate it. Hesai Technologies is one of the leading companies helping make that LiDAR-centric transition possible.

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Hesai Technology is a global leader in LiDAR solutions

Hesai Technology ($HSAI) is three-dimensional light detection and ranging (LiDAR) specialist with offices all over the globe, including Shanghai, Palo Alto, and Stuttgart.

It currently employs over 1,000 personnel who help research, develop, and manufacture advanced LiDAR technologies for a number of applications, including Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in passenger and commercial vehicles, autonomous driving vehicles, as well as last-mile delivery robots and Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs).

With over 500 granted patents and another 1000+ pending, Hesai puts a lot of time and effort into its LiDAR research and development, and the result is a growing portfolio of advanced safety sensors that can help pave the way for next-generation vehicles coming to market.

LiDAR remains a viable option for next-gen road safety

As advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving applications become more prevalent, the question of whether to use LiDAR sensors, vision cameras, or both is becoming hot topic of debate and an increasingly important one.

Many OEMs have shifted from LiDAR ADAS and self-driving applications to a camera-based vision approach, but environmental factors like lighting and weather conditions can cause confusion.

The automotive and robotics industries are racing against one another to advance from Level 2 autonomous driving (where the driver must keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel), to Level 3 and L4 autonomy, where the driver is no longer responsible for driving the vehicle. In these applications, Hesai Technology argues that LiDAR, like its ultra-thin long-range ET25 sensor, can make an effective difference while enhancing safety both on and off the road.

The camera conundrum

Cameras have been integral to the development of autonomous vehicles and ADAS vehicles, providing visual inputs like human eyes, and still exist as a viable option to an extent. They can provide valuable color information and visual cues such as traffic light status and road sign recognition.

Furthermore, opting to integrate only one kind of sensor, i.e., cameras, saves on production costs which can be passed along to consumers. 

However, cameras can struggle in challenging conditions. They rely heavily on lighting in a vehicle’s given environment, and their performance can be significantly affected in low light or direct sunlight scenarios, presenting potential safety hazards.

Furthermore, cameras capture two-dimensional images, making depth perception and accurate distance measurement more challenging. These potential limitations underscore the need for more robust perception technology that can provide more information about what’s truly happening in the surrounding environment.

Hesai LiDAR can help enhance safety

LiDAR, such as the AT512 from Hesai, uses laser pulses to scan the environment in three dimensions in real-time. This enables a vehicle’s onboard computer to understand its surroundings, offering a reliable and effective solution to the limitations presented when using camera technology alone. 

Hesai Lidar
Source: Hesai Technology

Hesai Technology’s LiDAR is unaffected by lighting conditions, ensuring consistent performance day and night, and in various weather conditions, including fog and heavy rain, where cameras can sometimes struggle. This independence from external light sources makes LiDAR an effective tool for self-driving vehicles, ADAS, and robots that require reliable and constant navigation capabilities.

Another advantage of LiDAR is its ability to detect objects with high precision and measure their distances accurately. This capability is crucial for vehicles operating on public roads at high speeds, which need to identify hazards, such as pedestrians, other vehicles, and obstacles, from a distance and react accordingly to avoid accidents.

Companies like Hesai have also made significant advances in how LiDAR can be integrated into vehicles, cost, and data security. For example, Hesai’s new ATX LiDAR can be integrated into headlights for a sleeker, subtle design. Moreover, significant advances in LiDAR technology and how it’s manufactured have made it much more affordable, allowing automotive and robotics manufacturers to incorporate the technology without major cost increases for consumers.

Hesai Lidar
Key specs of the ATX LiDAR / Source: Hesai Technology

Many people don’t know that as hardware, LiDAR is quite secure as it provides data to the vehicle or robot’s central computer for processing without any ability to store or transmit any data wirelessly because it lacks memory, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or cellular transmitters.

It also cannot collect biometric data, such as facial scans, because it’s a sensor, not a camera. Furthermore, the 3D maps LiDAR creates of the world around it are not detailed enough for said images.

Cloud Point imaging from the AT128 LiDAR / Source: Hesai Technology

Tech stacks that maximize safety

Although as a LiDAR technology developer, Hesai would argue it offers superior capabilities in object detection and environmental mapping, the company admits its sensors are most effective when used in conjunction with camera systems.

Camera technology has laid the groundwork for the development of autonomous systems, but LiDAR can help overcome the inherent limitations of cameras and ensure the unparalleled safety that consumers and regulators demand. Combined with vision cameras, Hesai’s LiDAR sensors, like the automotive-grade ultra-high resolution AT128 for instance, can offer vehicles a one-two punch in failsafe ADAS technology.

Hesai explains that the integration of LiDAR technology has already shown promising results in enhancing safety across various applications. In the automotive industry, LiDAR-equipped vehicles have demonstrated improved obstacle detection and collision avoidance capabilities, significantly reducing the risk of accidents. With LiDAR technology rapidly evolving, its integration into new applications is quickly becoming more widespread.

The future of autonomous driving is not just about leading the charge but doing so with the assurance that every possible measure for safety has been employed. As the industry moves forward, Hesai Technology strongly believes the combined use of LiDAR and camera systems will be pivotal in achieving the highest safety standards. 

You can learn more about Hesai Technology and all of its LiDAR products here.

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Honda to unveil sporty new electric motorcycle in September

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Honda to unveil sporty new electric motorcycle in September

Honda is set to pull the covers off a new electric motorcycle on September 2, teasing the upcoming reveal with camouflaged images on the brand’s social media. The upcoming unveiling is sparking speculation that this could be one of the first models in Honda’s long-promised push into more powerful motorcycle electrification.

The teasers show the shape of a motorcycle with fairly conventional proportions, including a two-up seat, standard riding posture, single-sided rear swingarm, and no visible foot-forward scooter ergonomics, which suggests this will be an honest-to-goodness motorcycle rather than an e-scooter. The bodywork looks sporty but subdued, lacking the aggressive fairings of a supersport, which may point to a street-oriented commuter or naked bike. In fact, it looks a lot like the EV Fun Concept unveiled by Honda last October in Milan, seen above.

Street commuter bikes are common among electric motorcycle makers. They capitalize on the strengths of electric drivetrains without requiring the long range associated with touring motorcycles. It’s a move we’ve seen play out time and again among brands like Can-Am, Kawasaki, Ryvid, and others who have produced smaller, urban-focused electric motorcycles in the last few years.

This aligns with Honda’s previously stated plans. The company announced years ago that it would introduce at least 10 electric motorcycle models by 2025, ranging from commuter vehicles to high-performance machines. So far, its progress has been modest, with small-scale launches focused around electric scooters and prototype testbeds like the CR Electric motocross bike.

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Whispers from Honda have hinted at an upcoming street bike, and some observers believe this new model could be the production version of that EV Fun Concept from EICMA Milan Motorcycle Show. Whether it uses Honda’s swappable batteries like the EM1 e: remains to be seen, but it’s likely to target daily riders in urban markets rather than aiming for long-range touring or high-speed sport performance.

Honda has been characteristically cautious in its entry into the electric space, especially compared to startup rivals and brands like Zero, LiveWire, and Ryvid. But the September 2 reveal may signal a new chapter as the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer finally takes electric motorcycles more seriously.

We’ll be watching closely to see what Honda brings to the table, especially as legacy brands start feeling pressure from both regulators and riders to electrify their lineups.

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Report: Ferrari were SO impressed by the Xiaomi SU7, they bought one

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Report: Ferrari were SO impressed by the Xiaomi SU7, they bought one

With its tire-blistering acceleration and record-setting performance, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra has been getting attention throughout the auto industry, impressing everyone who’s seen it. That “everyone” now seems to include the OG supercar brand, itself.

CarNewsChina posted pictures from a Weibo user that reportedly show a Xiaomi SU7 Ultra exiting the storied Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy. According to a Chinese blogger going by 西米露在博洛尼亚 (which seems to translate to “Sago Dessert in Bologna”), the prancing horse brand is actively benchmarking the Chinese hypercar for its own upcoming EV.

The SU7 Ultra was definitely coming from inside Ferrari’s facility. After verification, we learned this specific vehicle was officially purchased by Ferrari for testing, and the development of their next-generation electric platform.

西米露在博洛尼亚

Yet another Chinese auto blogger, 苏黎世贝勒爷, claims that Ferrari representatives visited Xiaomi headquarters last year, allegedly to discuss the joint development of next-generation high-performance EV motors.

The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra made its debut last year, promising 1,548 hp, sub 2.0-second 0-60 mph times, and a top speed well over 200 mph – all at a price lower than a Tesla Model S Plaid or Porsche Taycan Turbo GT. The car sold out almost immediately after it was unveiled, racking up some 50,000 orders almost overnight.

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The new electric benchmark


Xiaomi SU7 Ultra at Fiorano; via Weibo user Piniluoshan.

In the automotive world, “benchmarking” is a process in which car companies systematically tear down each others’ competitive products to compare everything from sound insulation, vehicle ride and handling, component materials, and even manufacturing methods against their own or against other industry leaders. The goal is to evaluate performance, cost, quality, and other key metrics, effectively figuring out “where they stand” in the market.

If Ferrari really did buy an SU7 to benchmark it against their own upcoming electric supercar, it’s more than just a curiosity – it could mean that the highest tiers of automotive innovation have shifted from West to East. Maybe forever.

Featured image via Xiaomi; sources throughout the post.


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Chevy teases new Bolt w/NACS, front fascia redesign, rear brake lights

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Chevy teases new Bolt w/NACS, front fascia redesign, rear brake lights

We’re finally getting our first teases of the upgraded 2027 Chevy Bolt, built on GM’s battery/motor platform formerly known as Ultium. So far, so good for the vehicle, which will be revealed later this Fall.

Chevy took to social media today to tease the 2027 Chevy Bolt, saying, “You asked, we listened. The #ChevyBolt is back and better than ever. More this fall. 👀”

Chevy ended the original Bolt program with the 2023 model, which was loved by a loyal group of customers (including myself). Some of the major gripes, including charging speed and rear brake lights, already look to be addressed. Also, a new more aggressive fascia is debuting.

Electrek’s take

GM has done an incredible job keeping the 2027 Bolt under wraps. It will be the first GM vehicle with a native NACS port after the Cadillac Optiq-V, which we spied in Seattle last week.

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Hopefully, the new Bolt will have improved charging speeds over and above the 54kW that previous Bolts adhered to. One possible downgrade is that the old Bolt’s amazing wireless CarPlay/Android Auto system will likely be replaced by GM’s move to Android’s built-in experience. For a few years, the Chevy Bolt was the most affordable long-range EV, and it won our 2022 Electrek car of the year for its versatility and price.

I would, of course, like to see the new Bolt as a hot hatchback, but GM CEO Mary Barra has hinted that it will likely take more of the EUV’s SUV form factor. Things like AWD options, SuperCruise, pricing, power and range are yet to be revealed, but stay tuned to Electrek for the latest on Bolt developments.

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