Automotive and robotics systems increasingly require accurate, real-time 3D perception. Traditional LiDAR solutions are often bulky, expensive, and vulnerable to vibrations or moving parts. For widespread adoption in consumer vehicles or compact robots, the industry needs sensing technology that is small, robust, cost-effective, and reliable under real-world conditions.
At Holst Centre, we use imec’s photonics-based solid-state LiDAR platform. We integrate all LiDAR components – laser source, beam steering, detectors – onto a single photonic chip. Our optical phased-array (OPA) technology enables beam steering without moving parts, reducing size, cost, and risk of mechanical failure . We design solutions with high angular resolution, long range, and efficient power consumption. Through complex algorithms, we achieved laser line widths that would have been impossible with hardware alone.
This technology opens the door to next-generation automotive safety systems, advanced driver assistance, autonomous driving, robotics, drones, and smart mobility. It supports mass adoption by delivering high-performance 3D scanning in compact, affordable modules suitable for real-world production and deployment.