RoboSense provides LiDAR for all-weather autonomous shuttle bus

Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) perception technology provider RoboSense has provided a cold-resistant all-weather LiDAR for an all-weather autonomous shuttle bus, known as Gacha.

The shuttle is fitted with RoboSense’s advanced cold-resistant 16-beam mechanical LiDAR environment perception system, which enables the bus to operate in a range of weather conditions.

The autonomous robo-taxi has been designed in partnership with Finnish autonomous driving company Sensible 4, which offered software for positioning, navigation, and obstacle detection and Muji offered design services and user experience.

RoboSense claims that its cold-resistant LiDAR is capable of working in Finland’s adverse weather conditions.

According to the technology vendor, its LiDAR can ‘see’ a 3D world by emitting and receiving lasers pulses, with point Cloud algorithms, which can accurately identify obstacles even in snow and ice.

RoboSense, in collaboration with Sensible 4, will deploy their first Gacha bus fleet on a public road in April, in addition to future projects planned in Finland and overseas.

RoboSense COO Mark Qiu said: “I’m pleased that our product has helped Sensible 4 and MUJI’s jointly designed GACHA self-driving bus solve perception problems in all weather conditions. All RoboSense multi-layer LiDAR products will soon operate in low temperatures under -40℃.”

Sensible 4 CEO Harri Santamala said: “The RoboSense LiDAR hardware and environment perception algorithms we use are reliable and stable, even at freezing temperatures of tens of Celsius degrees below zero.”

RoboSense was established in 2014 and provides LiDAR environment perception solutions, with innovations in FPGA, LiDAR, AI algorithms, as well as customised intelligent environment perception LiDAR systems. The company has offices in Shenzhen, Beijing, Shanghai, Germany, and the US.