2022年10月22日

Ouster公司發布了一係列數字激光雷達傳感器，這些傳感器使用了一種新的芯片，提供的範圍是上一代的兩倍。這家位於舊金山的公司表示，其REV7傳感器的最大探測範圍超過400碼，可以探測到四分之一英裏外的物體。這一距離是通過使用該公司新的專利L3芯片實現的，該芯片能夠每秒計算大約10萬億光子。Ouster首席執行官安格斯•帕卡拉在接受《汽車新聞》采訪時表示:“通過更換芯片，我們所有產品的續航裏程都增加了一倍。這使得REV7傳感器與自動駕駛汽車開發商Argo AI的激光雷達傳感器不相上下，後者的範圍也約為400碼。但這低於AEye激光雷達在一項獨立測試中探測到半英裏外車輛的範圍。技術研究公司SBD Automotive的高級分析師Howard Abbey表示，除了提高射程外，Ouster激光雷達傳感器的向後兼容性使其具有獨特性和競爭力。Pacala表示，Ouster的客戶可以用REV5激光雷達升級傳感器，這兩款雷達的外形相同。他說:“我們成功的關鍵之一是每一代產品都與前幾代產品向後兼容。”Abbey表示，向後兼容和易於升級並不是其他激光雷達製造商的優先考慮事項。 "The focus has been reducing size, improving robustness or switching to solid-state technology," he said. That's been dictated by the high cost and low volumes of early lidar systems, Abbey said. Suppliers also have worked to shrink the sensors so that they better fit into passenger vehicles. Autonomous delivery and other markets are now large and cost-conscious enough that backward compatibility across product generations creates a competitive advantage, Abbey said. "It reflects Ouster's understanding and focus on serving their customers who want cost-effective, long-term partnership rather than a one-and-done relationship," he said. The new lidar sensor will first be deployed on autonomous trucks and shuttles and in warehouses on robots and forklifts, Pacala said. Ouster is working with self-driving trucking company Torc Robotics and automated shuttle services providers May Mobility and Perrone Robotics. The REV7 sensors are available for order with the first units expected to ship to customers in late 2022. 95% automotive grade Technology from the REV7 could make it into Ouster's Digital Flash series of lidar sensors for passenger vehicles with its Chronos chip, the company said. The REV7 sensors use approximately 95 percent automotive-grade components. A new OSDome housing that uses REV7 sensor technology is also available along with Ouster's existing OS0, OS1 and OS2 products. The OSDome can be more discreetly installed on a vehicle making it more suitable for robotaxi and commercial-vehicle applications, Abbey said. The OSDome sensor has 128 channels of vertical resolution and provides 180-degree sensing using a fisheye lens, giving it a wider field than Ouster's other sensors. This gives "floor-to-ceiling vertical visibility," Ouster said. The REV7 sensor prolongs the competitiveness of legacy mechanically scanning lidar and aids in development of next-generation solid-state lidar that's reportedly under development by the company, Abbey said. "Ouster continues to innovate by appealing to a range of customer types with a cost-efficient, flexible digital architecture," he said.