Summary Reader Response Draft #2

The website “Luminar Iris” from Autonomoustuff (N.D) showcases the Luminar Technologies IRIS Lidar sensor. The Lidar sensor allows an autonomous vehicle to “see” around them, in 3D images, in any weather condition (Ohnsman, 2021). The main features of the sensor include long-range, high image resolution that allows the sensor to detect small objects, such as wires, from a distance, with consistent performance even in inclement weather (Autonomoustuff, n.d.). The specifications include its 600m maximum range, a 120-degree field of view, more than 300 points per square degree of camera-like resolution, configurable scan settings, and an IP69k dust and water resistance rating (Autonomoustuff, n.d.). The IRIS Lidar sensor by Luminar Technologies also boasts a high degree of safety, such that Mercedes Benz, an automotive company known for its focus on safety, signed a multi-billion dollar deal with Luminar Technologies to use the IRIS Lidar sensors in their future autonomous vehicles (Optics, 2023). With improved features, such as range and accuracy, and higher quality imaging, together with a much lower market price than competitors, the Iris Lidar sensor will change the market of Lidar sensors.

An increase in the Lidar sensor's maximum range is one such feature. The main purpose of a Lidar sensor in an autonomous automobile is to help detect, identify, and range-find oncoming potential obstacles. The range of the sensor is important to allow the onboard computer sufficient time to calculate the best move forward and to safely execute it. Luminar's Iris sensor boasts a maximum range of 600 meters (Autonomoustuff, n.d.), compared to its competitor, Velodyne's Alpha Prime Lidar sensor, where the maximum range is only 245 meters (LeoDrive, n.d). 

Not only is the range of the Iris sensor greater than that of Velodyne's sensor, but the accuracy of the sensor is better as well. With only a deviation of 1 cm (Autonomoustuff, n.d), compared to 3 cm of Velodyne's Alpha Prime Sensor (LeoDrive, n.d). The accuracy determines how close the measured value is to the real value. This means the Iris sensor can more accurately tell the distance of objects compared to the Alpha Prime sensor. 

With enhanced performance, surely the price of the Iris sensor must be high. Surprisingly, that cannot be further from the truth. According to Torbet (2019), the average market price of a Lidar sensor ranges from $7500 to $75000, but Luminar's Iris sensor only costs $500 to $1000 per unit. Luminar was able to keep the price low by reducing the overall production cost of the sensor's chip, and by only using one pair of laser and receiver (Antunes, 2019).

One drawback of the Iris sensor compared to other Lidar sensors is its field of view. This is the verticle and horizontal angle that the sensor can detect. Unfortunately, the Luminar's sensor only has 120 degrees of horizontal range and 0 to 26 degrees of vertical range (Autonomoustuff, n.d). This pales in comparison to competitors. Velodyne's Alpha Prime Lidar sensor has 360 degrees of horizontal range and a minus 25 to 15 degrees of vertical range (LeoDrive, n.d). The reduced angle of the sensor means more Iris sensors are required to do what other 360-degrees sensors can.

In conclusion, the outstanding features of Luminar's Iris Lidar sensor dominate its competitions. The range and accuracy of the Iris sensor more than doubles compared to other lidar sensors on the market. Even with the smaller field of view of the Iris sensor, the much lower cost per unit more than makes up for it. Luminar will help pave the way for more affordable autonomous vehicles while keeping safety to a maximum.

References:

Autonomoustuff. (n.d.). Luminar Iris. AutonomouStuff. https://autonomoustuff.com/products/luminar-iris

Ohnsman, A. (2021, November 9). Luminar surges on plan to supply laser sensors for Nvidia’s self-driving car. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2021/11/09/luminar-to-supply-laser-sensors-for-nvidias-self-driving-car-platform/?sh=103d276b5645

Optics. (2023, February 23). Luminar signs 'multi-billion dollar' deal with Mercedes-Benz. Optics.org. https://optics.org/news/14/2/32

Leo Drive. (n.d.). Velodyne Alpha Prime Lidar Sensor. https://leodrive.ai/products/velodyne-alpha-prime-lidar-sensor

Antunes, J. (2019, August 23). Luminar debuts comprehensive and affordable Iris lidar. Geo Week News. https://www.geoweeknews.com/news/luminar-debuts-comprehensive-and-affordable-iris-lidar

Torbet, G. (2019, July 12). Luminar's cheap LiDAR could be a big boost for autonomous vehicles. engadget. https://www.engadget.com/2019-07-12-luminar-affordable-lidar.html?_fsig=TfBCY6uO6q3CvS1pj2hP4g--~A

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