Luminar has joined forces with Plus, a self-driving technology company, to develop technology for autonomous trucks. This collaboration aims to focus on the advancement of “highly automated driving and fully autonomous driving systems” specifically designed for commercial vehicle manufacturers.
Under the terms of their agreement, Luminar, based in Orlando, will supply mid to long-range lidar sensors for PlusDrive, the factory-installed driving system for trucks. In return, Plus, headquartered in Cupertino, California, will provide Luminar with AI-based enhanced driver assist software.
Luminar has gained prominence in the lidar industry and recently secured extended deals with renowned automakers like Polestar and Mercedes for their consumer vehicles. Now, the company is keen on exploring opportunities with commercial vehicle partners. Luminar’s Iris Lidar offers exceptional performance, delivering long-range visibility, robustness, and reliability that are crucial for trucks.
With its ability to detect potential hazards or obstacles up to 1,968 feet ahead, equivalent to approximately 20 seconds of visibility for a fully loaded Class 8 truck traveling at highway speeds, Luminar’s technology provides ample time to safely react and come to a stop. This capability serves as a solid foundation for achieving fully autonomous driving, according to Luminar.
Austin Russell, founder and CEO of Luminar, stated, “Trucking is a key emerging market for Luminar, and the same products and technology we’ve successfully executed on for our production consumer vehicle programs are beginning to be deployed on commercial vehicles as well.” He further emphasized that the partnership with Plus would enable enhanced safety and autonomous capabilities for production commercial vehicles at a larger scale, considering Plus’s commercial success with major industry players.
Plus, known for its partnerships with industry leaders such as Italian CV giant IVECO and vehicle parts specialist Bosch, has been conducting trials of automated trucks in Europe, starting in Germany and expanding to Italy, Switzerland, and Austria. Their advanced PlusDrive technology, categorized as Level 2++ (enhanced driver assistance requiring constant supervision), can handle various driving scenarios, including stop-and-go traffic, lane changes, lane merges, and lane centering. The system can be updated with new features through over-the-air updates.
David Liu, CEO and co-founder of Plus, expressed confidence in the collaboration, stating, “Luminar will enable PlusDrive to achieve new heights in sensing at further distances and at highway speeds. This will enable the scalable commercialization of driver-in technology today and accelerate our customers’ path to full autonomy tomorrow.”
Furthermore, Luminar and Plus have confirmed their intentions to collaborate on other initiatives, including Luminar’s commercial vehicle insurance program, high-definition mapping, and sensor integration.
This partnership between Luminar and Plus signifies a significant step in the advancement of self-driving technology for commercial vehicles. With their combined expertise and resources, they aim to propel the industry forward and pave the way for safer and more efficient autonomous trucks.