What is LiDAR Technology and How Does it Improve the New Volvo EX90?
December 09 2022,
The new Volvo EX90 is the most technologically advanced Volvo vehicle ever made, notably due to its use of LiDAR technology which makes it safer and more capable.
What is it?
LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging, and it consists of a new type of sensor mounted on the roof of the Volvo EX90, just at the top of the windshield. This technology uses light in the form of a laser to create a 3D picture of the road and the surrounding environment. LiDAR has many advantages over cameras since it is as effective at night as during the day. The high-mounted installation point was chosen by Volvo engineers because it affords the system a better view of the vehicle’s surroundings than if it was integrated into the windshield or the front fascia, thus improving its capabilities.
How can it make the EX90 safer?
The new Volvo EX90 is the safest Volvo ever created, in large part due to the addition of the LiDAR system. Indeed, this technology enhances the other sensors and safety systems instead of replacing them, which creates redundancy. This allows the EX90 to better interpret tricky situations and thus provide an increased level of active safety without risking annoying false alarms. The image generated by the LiDAR allows the EX90’s core computer to better identify obstacles, pedestrians vehicles, and even debris that could pose a risk to the safety of everyone on board. The LiDAR found in the EX90 is capable of seeing pedestrians from 250 meters and a tire on black tarmac from 120 meters. This gives the system and the driver more time to react and decide whether braking or swerving is the best response.
What else can it do?
The LiDAR used in the new Volvo EX90 is also a crucial part of the brand’s ambition to push forward the development of autonomous driving. For the moment, this technology helps enhance the capabilities of the Drive Pilot driver assistance system by providing it with more accurate information about the roads it has to navigate but soon, LiDAR-equipped vehicles will become fully autonomous, requiring no attention from the driver.
