Mercedes-Benz teams up with Luminar on self-driving tech

The Mercedes-Benz symbol is pictured at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Demonstrate (IAA) in Frankfurt, Germany, September 10, 2019. REUTERS/Ralph Orlowski/File Photo

San Francisco, Jan 20 (Reuters) – Luxurious carmaker Mercedes-Benz will associate with self-driving sensor maker Luminar Technologies Inc (LAZR.O) to enable fully automated driving on highways for its next-generation vehicles, Luminar’s founder mentioned.

Automakers from Tesla to GM and Volvo have established their eyes on introducing autonomous cars, though regulatory and technological troubles continue to be. examine a lot more

Tech corporations this sort of as Alphabet’s Waymo and Cruise also are establishing self-driving taxis or trucks for industrial use these types of as trip-hailing and shipping providers.

Car or truck autonomy “is actually heading mainstream with Mercedes,” Luminar CEO Austin Russell advised Reuters, devoid of disclosing a timeframe for putting the technological know-how in Mercedes’ cars.

He claimed the two would develop “correct” autonomy abilities, which includes enhanced protection abilities these as automatic braking.

Standard Motors Co (GM.N) is performing with its the vast majority-owned Cruise self-driving device to introduce a particular autonomous car or truck by as early as mid-decade, Chief Executive Mary Barra reported this thirty day period.

“If you want to be capable to get to actually autonomous abilities in a customer auto, and you have to industrialize components, software package, all of these devices that occur into engage in. That by the way, is absolutely different than the do the job that the robo-taxi corporations have been working on,” Russell reported.

He stated it is a obstacle to mass generate lidars and make confident they are sturdy plenty of to satisfy stringent necessities from automakers.

“It is a fully various kind of small business of likely from a science and know-how business to automotive company.”

Lidars, which use laser light pulses to evaluate the distance concerning the sensor and the concentrate on object, are commonly viewed as essential to reaching complete autonomous driving. But Tesla has shunned the sensor, declaring it is pricey and avoidable.

Volvo Cars (VOLCARb.ST) and Luminar reported earlier this thirty day period that they will place a palms-free of charge driving process in an approaching electric powered sport utility auto.

Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin Editing by Kim Coghill

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