Chinese LiDAR manufacturer Hesai Technology (Hesai) and self-driving startup WeRide formed a strategic partnership on July 16 to co-explore and work on autonomous driving technologies, vehicle-infrastructure cooperative system, and relevant working scenarios, according to a post on Hesai’s WeChat account.
Under the agreement, both parties will co-build safer and more efficient autonomous driving sensor suits. Hesai will assist WeRide with the building of a more advanced hardware platform for autonomous cars. To support rapid development of WeRide, Hesai will keep providing WeRide with high-quality and high-reliability LiDAR sensors.
Hesai said it is an important LiDAR supplier to Hesai. The automotive-grade LiDAR devices it offers to Hesai are capable of image-level point cloud and active anti-interference function, and are able to provide abundant sensing data and reliable safety guarantee for WeRide’s Level autonomous cars.
On July 9, Hesai struck a deal with Chinese EV startup Li Auto for a series of projects based on Hesai’s latest-generation automotive-grade hybrid solid-state LiDAR solution.
Under the agreement, both parties will jointly work on developing passenger vehicle-used LiDAR system integration solution, building a system to test and evaluate LiDAR’s automotive-grade reliability and functional safety in complex weather and road conditions, and forming a highly automated manufacturing and testing system based on automotive-grade standards.
In the meantime, the duo had a discussion about the latest progress of LiDAR’s application in advanced driver assistance system, the evolution trend for the next-generation smart vehicle’s self-driving capabilities, and the method of developing safer and more efficient autonomous driving solutions, according to Hesai.
