VW Group, Valeo, Mobileye cooperate on MQB platform
Volkswagen Group is working with Valeo and Mobileye to upgrade their advanced driver assistance systems up to L2+ (enhanced partially automated driving) in their upcoming vehicle portfolio based on the MQB platform. Launching in the next few years, this cooperation will improve safety and driving comfort in high-volume vehicles, addressing both customer expectations and regulatory requirements.
Hesai Advances in Mainstream Automotive Market
Hesai reported a full-year revenue of C¥2.08bn in 2024, with fourth-quarter revenue reaching C¥720m. They delivered 501,889 lidar units in 2024, a 126-per-cent year-on-year increase. In December 2024, they became the world’s first lidar supplier to achieve a monthly delivery volume exceeding 100,000 units. As of February 2025, Hesai has secured mass production supply agreements with 22 automakers for 120 models.
Hesai to open overseas plant with ’26 SOP
Hesai intends to inaugurate their first overseas factory next year, citing customer concerns over geopolitical tensions. “On the heels of the global supply program, we hope to accelerate our overseas production (…) an inescapable step toward our global ambitions,” Hesai CFO Andrew Fan told the Financial Times. He said Hesai will break ground on their first overseas project by the end of this year, with the goal of starting production in 2026. Hesai announced on 12 March that they have entered a multi-year exclusive supply partnership with a top European automaker, whom they did not name.
Luminar: Strong Q4-24
Luminar anticipates tripling their lidar shipments in 2025, starting from around 9,000 units in 2024. The first OEM design win, the Volvo EX90, has entered production with an estimated few thousand units expected in 2024, and the ES90 sedan has been announced as a design win. TPK Asia started production on certain subsystems for the Iris lidar, while prototypes of the next-generation Halo lidar were delivered to certain customers. Q4 revenue increased by 45 per cent versus Q3 to $22.5m, but remained relatively flat year-over-year. Gross loss is anticipated to be between $5m and $10m per quarter in 2025 due to insufficient volumes to achieve positive gross margins.
Ouster: Record Revenue for Q4 and FY24
Ouster reported record Q4-24 revenues totaling $30m, reflecting a 23-per-cent year-over-year increase, and shipped nearly 5,000 lidar units at a 44-per-cent gross margin. Their net loss amounted to $24m. Annual revenue reached $111m with shipments of 17,300 sensors, for a net loss of $97m—almost down to ¼ the 2023 figure. Their primary markets served were robotics and robotaxi pilots. Ouster is currently not engaged in mainstream automotive markets, and their future involvement in high-volume robotaxi and truck company contracts remains uncertain. However, growth in industrial and robotics markets is anticipated to continue.
Rayz Gets Almost C¥100m in New Funding Round
Rayz, a lidar company in China, announced the completion of a new funding round, raising nearly C¥100m. The funds will be primarily allocated to developing automotive-grade lidar, mass production expansion, and commercial deployment across various sectors. Rayz has leveraged their proprietary MSSP architecture to achieve advancements in sensing efficiency, power consumption, size, and cost on 905-nm technology. Their H260 long-range lidar, which can detect 10-per-cent-reflective objects at 260 meters, features an ultra-low power consumption of 10W and a competitive price.
Seyond Lidar for Stars’ Self-Driving IGVs
Driverless-driving specialists Stars Technology and lidar maker Seyond have announced a strategic partnership to develop self-driving intelligent guided vehicles (IGVs) for smart logistics. The collaboration will focus on integrating high-performance lidar technology into industrial logistics applications, driving the global adoption of functional autonomous vehicles. Stars aims to enhance warehouse and transportation efficiency through self-driving technology. Under this partnership, Seyond will equip Stars’ new IGV models with the Robin W wide-angle lidar as a core perception unit.
Seyond, TrafficSensors to Take ITS Management Platform to Australia, New Zealand
Seyond has entered partnership with TrafficSensors.com to introduce the Seyond ITS Management Platform (SIMPL) to Australia and New Zealand. TrafficSensors.com, with 40 years’ experience in traffic systems, provides expertise and local presence. They distribute advanced sensors to highway departments and local authorities, with thousands of deployments. This partnership combines their experience with Seyond’s innovative SIMPL solution.
Forvia Hella: Solid Results in FY24
Forvia Hella presented their final results for 1 January to 31 December 2024, confirming the preliminary financial data announced this past February. Currency-adjusted sales improved by 1.3 per cent to €8.1bn, and sales of €8.0bn are at the previous year’s level. Global vehicle production declined by 1.1 per cent in the same period, with the European automotive market making a disproportionately large contribution to this with a decline of 4.3 per cent.
Indie, GlobalFoundries in Automotive Radar Deployment Pact
Indie Semiconductor has partnered with GlobalFoundries to develop high-performance radar systems-on-chip (SoC) on GF’s 22FDX® platform for 77- and 120-GHz radar applications. These SoCs support ADAS and industrial use cases. Indie’s 77-GHz SoCs enable long- and short-range radar applications for situational awareness and obstacle detection, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind spot detection, cross-traffic alerts, and automated parking.
Sensrad, Zenseact in 4D Radar Pact for AD
Sensrad and Zenseact, two Gothenburg-based companies, are collaborating to explore 4D high-resolution imaging radar for automated driving. Sensrad’s expertise comes from over five years’ radar development and software delivery. Zenseact is an AI and software company focused on car safety, founded by Volvo Cars. They develop autonomous driving and driver-assist systems, aiming to eliminate car accidents. Zenseact operates in Gothenburg and Lund, Sweden; Munich, Germany; and Shanghai, China.
Gapwaves Gets Radar Antenna Orders from Hella
Gapwaves has received new orders from Hella to develop waveguide antennas for Hella’s ADAS radar sensors. Deliveries are expected through the first half of 2025. This continues the development project started last December. Gapwaves CEO Jonas Ehinger says the new orders “highlight our positive momentum and the value our technology brings to customers”.
Nodar’s New HDK 2.0 for 3D Sensing
Nodar’s Hammerhead Development Kit (HDK) 2.0 brings cutting-edge stereo vision to engineers, offering what the supplier calls a high-performance alternative to lidar for autonomous vehicles and 3D monitoring. Nodar’s specialty is stereo vision technology, and the kit delivers long-range object detection, high-resolution depth perception, and environmental resilience at a lower cost. It simplifies integration with ready-to-use hardware and software, targeting applications from automotive to agriculture.
