Hesai Technology has revealed that it is to supply lidar units for several models of the SAIC Motor Commercial Vehicle Division’s OEM-installed project. Each model will be equipped with one of Hesai’s AT128 automotive-grade, ultra-high-resolution long-range lidars.
The design win forms part of a strategic cooperation between Hesai, the SAIC Commercial Vehicle Division and Utopilot, all seeking to develop next-generation intelligent driving technologies for consumer-facing product implementations.
Utopilot – a technology company within the SAIC Group – is focused on delivering intelligent driving solutions for commercial vehicles. In 2021, Hesai collaborated with the company to bring its high-performance lidar Pandar series to a Level 4 intelligent heavy-duty truck, which has already achieved semi-commercial operation at Shanghai Yangshan Port in China.
For the SAIC cooperation, Utopilot has utilized its advantages in full-stack, self-developed intelligent driving technology and its industry supply chain. The self-developed Honghu intelligent driving platform features a multitude of sensors that provide perception safety redundancy in addition to a complete decision-making library for diverse scenarios. The platform has already been installed in SAIC commercial vehicles.
Hesai’s design win marks the first application of its AT128 lidar in SAIC’s commercial vehicle models, providing key perception data for the vehicle’s intelligent driving systems. The AT128 features 128 independent VCSEL laser transmitters and can achieve 1.53 million data points per second and a detection range of up to 200m. The lidar solution has entered mass production and deliveries began in 2022.
“Hesai Technology is a leading automotive lidar manufacturer and an important strategic partner of Utopilot,” said Rui Wang, CEO of Utopilot. “For this project, Hesai’s AT128 will be the primary sensor in the Honghu intelligent driving platform. In the future, the two companies hope to see further integration of their software and hardware technologies to create new autonomous driving solutions for a wider range of applications, meeting the diverse demands of customers.”
Yifan Li, CEO and co-founder of Hesai Technology, added, “SAIC Group is a leader in the automotive industry and an early explorer of intelligent driving technology in China, with deep expertise in research and development. In the past two years, Hesai and Utopilot have achieved outstanding results in the commercial operation of intelligent heavy-duty trucks, and we are honored to further our cooperation in the implementation of multiple intelligent driving models in the SAIC Commercial Vehicle Division to bring consumers a safer, smarter and more diverse travel experience.”
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