With the rapid development of technology, autonomous driving technology has become a research hotspot in the automotive field. As one of the key sensors in the auto drive system, the laser radar (LiDAR), with its high accuracy, high resolution and all-weather working characteristics, provides a strong environmental awareness capability for autonomous vehicle. This article will delve into the application and importance of LiDAR in automotive autonomous driving.

1、 The working principle of LiDAR

Lidar, also known as Light Detection and Ranging, is a sensor that uses a laser beam for ranging and scanning. It calculates the distance and position information between the target object and the LiDAR by emitting a laser beam and receiving the reflected signal, based on the propagation time and angle of the laser. The scanning methods of LiDAR can be divided into mechanical scanning and solid-state scanning. The former achieves all-round scanning by rotating the lens, while the latter achieves rapid scanning by adjusting the emission angle of the laser beam.

2、 Application of LiDAR in Autonomous Driving

Environmental perception and obstacle detection
Laser radar is one of the core sensors for autonomous vehicle to realize environment perception and obstacle detection. By emitting a laser beam and receiving the reflected signal, LiDAR can perceive the environment around cars in real time, including roads, vehicles, pedestrians, buildings, etc. At the same time, the laser radar can also identify obstacles on the road, such as traffic cones, shoulders, etc., to provide accurate environmental information for autonomous vehicle.
Positioning and Navigation
Lidar also plays an important role in the positioning and navigation of autonomous vehicle. By measuring the distance of the vehicle ahead and the shape of the surrounding area, LiDAR can obtain the position and attitude information of the car, and compare it with the map to achieve accurate path planning and navigation. In addition, LiDAR can also be integrated with other sensors such as Global Positioning System (GPS) and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to further improve the accuracy and reliability of positioning and navigation.
Lane recognition and traffic sign recognition
In the process of autonomous vehicle driving, lane recognition and traffic sign recognition are the key links to ensure driving safety. By scanning the signs and lines on the road, the laser radar can accurately identify the position and width of the lane and provide a stable driving track for autonomous vehicle. At the same time, the laser radar can also identify traffic signs, such as traffic lights, speed limit signs, etc., to provide necessary traffic information for autonomous vehicle.
Automatic parking and obstacle avoidance
Lidar also plays an important role in automatic parking and obstacle avoidance. By scanning the surrounding environment, LiDAR can obtain information such as distance and angle between cars and parking spaces, achieving automatic parking function. During driving, LiDAR can monitor surrounding obstacles in real-time and automatically avoid them when necessary to ensure driving safety.

3、 The Future Development of Lidar

With the continuous development of autonomous driving technology, the application range of LiDAR is also constantly expanding. In the future, LiDAR will achieve greater breakthroughs in the following areas:
Improve measurement accuracy and resolution: With the continuous progress of laser technology, the measurement accuracy and resolution of laser radar will be further improved, providing more accurate environmental awareness for autonomous vehicle.
Reducing costs and volume: With the continuous maturity and industrialization of LiDAR technology, its costs and volume will be further reduced, allowing more car models to be equipped with LiDAR and achieve autonomous driving functions.

Fusion of multiple sensors: In the future, the laser radar will be deeply integrated with cameras, millimeter wave radars and other sensors to form a multisensor fusion environment awareness system, providing more comprehensive and accurate environmental information for autonomous vehicle.



As one of the core sensors of autonomous vehicle, laser radar plays an important role in environment perception, positioning and navigation, lane recognition and auto parking. With the continuous progress of technology and the continuous expansion of application scope, laser radar will provide more solid support for the development of autonomous vehicle in the future.