DENSO Collaborates with Aeva to Bring New LiDAR to Market
Collaboration boosts DENSO’s development of sensing and perception systems, supports company goal to deliver accident-free society
Kariya, Japan (Jan. 19, 2021) ― DENSO, a leading mobility supplier, today announced a partnership with U.S. LiDAR and perception systems company, Aeva, to develop next-generation sensing and perception systems. Together, the companies will advance Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) LiDAR, a groundbreaking solution that measures velocity, in addition to depth and reflectivity, and bring it to the mass vehicle market.
LiDAR plays a key role in automated driving and advanced driver-assistance systems. At present, most LiDAR systems use the Time of Flight (TOF) method to operate. This method accurately detects the distance and direction of objects by emitting pulse laser beams and measuring the time taken to receive the beams reflected by the objects. It can detect the positions of objects around a vehicle with high resolution, and is expected to provide high-performance detection.
Founded in 2017 by former Apple engineers Soroush Salehian and Mina Rezk, Aeva is developing LiDAR with a new measurement method called FMCW. Unlike the TOF LiDAR, FMCW LiDAR detects not only the distance and direction of objects but also measures the moving speed of objects by emitting laser beams while measureing the changes in frequency of the beams reflected by objects. These capabilities allow FMCW LiDAR to detect moving objects close to a vehicle, such as pedestrians and bicycles, with higher accuracy and speed. As the collaboration progresses, DENSO’s deep knowledge of sensing technology and commercialization paired with Aeva’s proprietary technology will allow each to further strengthen FMCW LiDAR and innovate perception systems for the future.
The partnership also supports DENSO’s goal to eliminate traffic accidents and realize freedom of mobility for all. To do this, the company is focusing on developing technologies that improve road safety, like advanced driver-assistance and automated driving systems; working with public and private partners to promote traffic accident prevention; and innovating solutions that help detect driver health and measure driving skills.
Profile of Aeva
1. Name: Aeva Inc.
2. Establishment: 2017
3. Location: Mountain View, California, USA
4. CEO: Soroush Salehian
5. Business description: Developing next generation sensing and perception systems
About DENSO Corporation
DENSO is a $47.6 billion global mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in its worldwide 200 facilities to produce thermal, powertrain, mobility, electrification, & electronic systems, to create jobs that directly change how the world moves. The company’s 170,000+ employees are paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents, and preserves the environment. Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO spent 9.9 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020. For more information about global DENSO, visit https://www.denso.com/global/en
About Aeva
Founded in 2017 by former Apple engineers Soroush Salehian and Mina Rezk, and led by a multidisciplinary team of engineers and operators, Aeva is building the next-generation of sensing and perception for autonomous vehicles and beyond. Aeva is backed by Adage Capital, Porsche SE, Lux Capital and Canaan Partners, amongst others. For more information, visit www.aeva.com.
