What’s Happening
Ouster, Inc., a top provider of high-performance lidar sensors, has announced that Motional, a global leader in driverless technology, has chosen Ouster as the exclusive supplier of long-range lidar sensors for its all-electric IONIQ 5-based robotaxis. Under the serial production agreement, Ouster will supply Motional with Alpha Prime™ VLS-128 sensors through 2026.
Why It Matters
The Alpha Prime™ long-range sensor, a product of ten years of lidar development and experience from millions of road miles, is specifically engineered for autonomous driving and advanced vehicle safety at highway speeds. It offers real-time 3D data with up to 0.1-degree vertical and horizontal resolution, a 300-meter range, and 360° surround view.
Key Points
Laura Major, Chief Technology Officer at Motional, stated that the Alpha Prime™ provides the long-range, high-performance capabilities needed for their autonomous vehicles. Long-range lidar is a crucial component of Motional’s multi-modal sensor strategy, which integrates over 30 sensors into the IONIQ 5 robotaxi design. This sensor suite allows for 360-degree vision and enables safe, fully driverless operation across various driving environments and conditions.
Motional, a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv founded in 2020, leads the driverless technology industry and deploys its Level 4 autonomous vehicles (AVs) for ride-hail and on-demand delivery applications. With significant commercial experience, Motional has operated a public robotaxi service in Las Vegas for over five years. The company has already started using Alpha Prime™ sensors on its IONIQ 5 robotaxis for commercial operations in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, and testing operations in Boston, Pittsburgh, and Singapore.
Bottom Line
Angus Pacala, CEO and Co-founder of Ouster, expressed excitement about being the exclusive long-range lidar provider for Motional’s IONIQ 5 robotaxis deployed globally. He believes that the Alpha Prime™ is a powerful addition to their product portfolio and anticipates that it will continue to drive significant new business, particularly in the autonomous vehicle sector.
