The company will use Luminar’s Iris sensors for vehicles working at quarry sites.
The company will use Luminar’s Iris sensors for vehicles working at quarry sites.
Caterpillar is adding lidar to its heavy-duty construction equipment after striking a deal with Luminar, which makes the laser sensor for a number of automakers and self-driving car operators.
Caterpillar says it will integrate Luminar’s hardware into its Cat Command autonomy platform, which it uses to power self-driving features in its trucks and other vehicles. The Texas-based original equipment manufacturer initially plans on installing two lidar sensors in its highway trucks that are used for quarry operations.
Caterpillar describes itself as a leader in self-driving construction equipment and has sold autonomous trucks on three continents, which have traveled more than 207 million miles and autonomously moved more than 9.3 billion tonnes.
“We’ve invested in autonomy and automation for more than 30 years, and we’ve seen how it adds value for our customers in terms of safety, productivity and efficiency,” said Jaime Mineart, chief technology officer and senior vice president of integrated components and solutions for caterpillar, in a statement.
As autonomous passenger vehicles experience their ups and downs, larger vehicle manufacturers are also exploring ways in which they can apply cutting edge technology to their industries. In addition to Caterpillar, John Deere is developing a range of self-driving tractors and construction equipment. Autonomous excavators and mining equipment is also being tested by various companies.
Equipment makers say they are interested in autonomy as a safety solution, citing the high cost of on-the-job injuries and deaths by workers involved heavy industry or construction. According to the CDC, the median cost is $1.42 million per fatality, which does not include property damage, environmental damage, or project schedule delays.
The laser sensor, a key component in the suites used by most autonomous vehicles, employs near-infrared light to detect the shapes and distances of objects. Combined with camera images and other sensor data, lidar helps vehicles “see” other objects on the road, like cars, pedestrians, and cyclists, all without the help of GPS or a network connection.
Luminar says its Iris sensors are especially good at “seeing” through heavy dust and dirt, a result of operating at a 1550nm wavelength versus 905nm like most LiDAR competitors. Luminar has emerged as one of the more ambitious players in the volatile lidar industry. Even amid internal turmoil and financial uncertainty, Luminar has secured commitments from a number of companies to purchase its lidars. The company has deals with Mercdes-Benz, Volvo, Audi, Toyota Research Institute, Intel’s Mobileye, Airbus, and two Chinese companies: automaker SAIC and AV operator Pony.ai.
The company, which has been shipping its next-generation laser sensors to Volvo, recently adopted an “asset light” business model that will see more of its production outsourced to its partners. As part of the restructuring, Luminar laid off 20 percent of its workforce.