Volkswagen Group and Innoviz last week signed a major deal concerning the supply of lidar systems and related software for use in future automated driving systems.
Innoviz is an Israeli firm that specializes in lidar sensors and the software that takes the incoming lidar information and identifies the various objects, for instance other vehicles or road markings. The deal is specifically between Innoviz and VW Group's Cariad software development unit. Cariad has been tasked with developing software for the full VW Group portfolio of brands, including a self-driving system for private use. VW Group is also working with America's Argo AI to develop aInnoviz expects to supply enough units for between 5 million and 8 million vehicles over a period of about eight years starting around the middle of the decade.
VW Group has worked with Intel's Mobileye on sensor systems for driver-assist features, though these have relied on cameras rather than lidar. The two also announced in 2018 plans to have a self-driving taxi service up and runningVW Group is expected to have its first vehicles with true hands-off, eyes-off driving capability on sale in the second half of the decade, with the system likely to be initially be available for highway use.