Self-driving cars need better perception to deal with the unexpected

With costs dropping and capabilities improving, it seems increasingly likely that LiDAR will be a key component in the sensor suites needed for autonomous driving. Whilst cheaply available sensors like cameras can already perform object recognition, the images they generate are two dimensional, and only so useful. LiDAR – light detection and ranging – uses lasers to create ‘point clouds’, allowing a vehicle to perceive an object in 3D, improving recognition.