Volvo has reversed direction on a previous commitment to supply standard lidar on the EX90 SUV and ES90 sedan. It started with a vague announcement that “To meet customer demand and due to limited supply of the lidar hardware, production of cars without lidar starts already in 2025.” Later, Volvo told Reuters that it had ended its relationship with Luminar Technologies, the sole supplier of lidar systems for these models.
Volvo and Luminar have worked closely together since 2020, when Volvo first announced its intention to use lidar on a production car. Volvo even invested in the company to help fulfill its promise to develop a lidar system small and affordable enough for widespread use. Luminar succeeded, supplying the small dome at the top of the EX90 and ES90 windshields that looks a bit like a rally car air vent. It may damage your phone’s camera at short range, but it also works, and works well.
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