Aeva strikes lidar chip-making deal with LG subsidiary

In a significant move for the automotive and tech industries, LG Innotek, a subsidiary of South Korea's LG Group, has announced a manufacturing partnership with Aeva Technologies, known for its advanced 4D LiDAR sensing systems. This collaboration will see LG Innotek taking on the role of manufacturer and supplier for Aeva's cutting-edge Atlas Ultra 4D LiDAR sensor, initially aimed at the automotive sector but with plans to branch out into consumer electronics, robotics, and industrial automation. As part of this strategic agreement, LG Innotek is set to invest up to $50 million in Aeva, acquiring approximately 6% equity in the U.S.-based company. Aeva's co-founder and CEO, Soroush Salehian, emphasized the partnership's focus on serving some of the world's largest passenger vehicle OEMs, showcasing the potential impact on the automotive industry. Founded in 2017, Aeva has made substantial investments, amounting to nearly half a billion dollars, in the development of what it terms "4D LiDAR on a chip." This innovative technology distinguishes itself from traditional LiDAR systems by using Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave-based perception, which allows for real-time measurement of both distance and velocity for every pixel. Salehian likened the advancement to transitioning from black-and-white to color photography, adding a new dimension of velocity information. Aeva's integration of the entire LiDAR system, including optics, into a compact silicon photonics module not only enhances production efficiency but also facilitates scaling for various applications in automotive, robotics, and consumer electronics. The funding from LG Innotek will be directed toward further product development and team expansion, with aspirations of reducing the hardware to a single-chip design. In addition to its automotive ambitions, Aeva is also focusing on the manufacturing sector, having established partnerships with Nikon in Japan and CKG in Germany. The company is broadening its reach into smart infrastructure and transportation, offering security and monitoring solutions at major U.S. airports such as SFO and JFK Terminal One.