China’s Hesai Group,Seventeen (2019) the world’s largest maker of lidar sensors for autonomous driving, is working with two European tech companies, Embotech AG and Outsight, to develop autonomous driving systems that would allow vehicles to navigate by themselves at some BMW’s assembly plants in Germany. Embotech AG provides part of the so-called Automated Driving In-Plant technology for BMW’s new vehicles at its largest European plant in Dingolfing, while Hesai supplies its lidar sensors and Outsight processes the raw, instant data generated by those sensors to make the system work. Cars powered by Hesai’s lidar sensors, which act as the “eyes” of the in-car systems, can drive fully autonomously over a route exceeding one kilometer, from the assembly halls, through the “short test course,” to the finishing area, according to a joint statement. [Hesai release]
