MUNICH, Sept. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hesai Technology (Nasdaq: HSAI), the global leader in automotive lidar, announced today a partnership with Webasto, the leading global automotive supplier of roof systems. Hesai will provide automotive lidar sensors to Webasto for its Roof Sensor Module for passenger cars with ADAS.

Hesai's AT128 long range lidar has been integrated in Webasto's current Roof Sensor Module, which features several cameras and lidars. Webasto system includes an entire sensor set, together with other antennas, concealed under a full-surface polycarbonate cover that blends with the vehicle's silhouette. This innovative panoramic car roof has a compact, sleek design that balances functionality and aesthetics. 

Lidar can capture the most accurate information about the size, shape, location, and movements of surrounding objects, and is therefore becoming a key component in new ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) technologies designed to improve safety performance. By actively emitting infrared laser light into its surroundings, lidar functions well in dark, bright, and changing lighting environments. Additionally, lidar can directly capture the 3D positions of objects, giving it an advantage in detecting objects directly, rather than needing to be trained to recognize objects, like cameras.

Hesai's long-range automotive lidar sensors are ideal for rooftop integration. Its flagship long-range lidar AT128 generates ultra-high resolution point clouds and perceives objects as far as 200 meters away. Whether it's vehicles, pedestrians, or tires and traffic cones that are easily overlooked, AT128 will capture all objects in great detail, ensuring accurate decision-making to avoid risks. This automotive-grade lidar has proven its success with 11 OEM wins and over 130,000 units shipped.

Hesai's new ET25 long-range lidar is only 25 mm thick, which makes it ideal for both rooftop and behind-the-windshield installation. ET25's range can reach a stunning 225 meters even behind the windshield, with the finest angular resolution reaching 0.05° x 0.05°. The sensor uses just 12 W of power to avoid overheating, and it also stays extremely quiet. At lower than 25 dB, its noise level is less than that of a quiet library.

"The autonomous driving field has seen impressive technological progress, and we are now looking to create something that combines functionality with visual appeal for the mass market," explains Thomas Schütt, VP R&D Roof at Webasto. "We are thrilled to collaborate Hesai in the field of lidar integration and look forward to exploring even more possibilities in the near future."

"At Hesai we are excited to partner with Webasto to explore new and innovative design with lidar," shares Bob in den Bosch, Senior VP of Global Sales at Hesai Technology. "We want to see our cutting-edge lidar technology adopted by leading automotive OEMs and become a mainstream component in series-production vehicles. That means reliably delivering at the highest quality with the best price points. We hope to push boundaries once more in this new collaboration. With the integrated solution, people can now enjoy the safety and comfort of lidar without sacrificing the look of the vehicle."

Hesai and Webasto are both exhibiting at IAA Mobility 2023 in Munich from September 5 - 8. Attendees are welcome to visit Hesai at Hall B2, Booth F10, and Webasto at Hall B3, Booth C40.

About Hesai

Hesai Technology is the global leader in three-dimensional light detection and ranging (lidar) solutions. The Company's lidar products enable a broad spectrum of applications across passenger and commercial vehicles with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicle fleets (autonomous mobility). Hesai's technology also empowers robotics applications such as last-mile delivery robots and logistics robots in restricted areas. As of December 31, 2022, Hesai has shipped over 100,000 lidar units in total. The Company's commercially validated solutions are backed by superior research and development capabilities across optics, mechanics, electronics, and software. Hesai integrates lidar designs with an in-house manufacturing process, facilitating rapid product development while ensuring high performance, consistent quality, and affordability. Hesai has established strong relationships with leading automotive OEMs, autonomous vehicle, and robotics companies worldwide, covering over 90 cities in 40 countries.

About Webasto:

As a global innovative systems partner to the mobility industry, Webasto is one of the 100 largest suppliers to the automotive sector worldwide. In development, manufacturing and sales, the company focuses on roof systems on the one hand and on vehicle electrification on the other hand. The product range includes openable and fixed panoramic roofs, electric high-voltage heaters and batteries, as well as thermo management solutions. Among the customers of Webasto are manufacturers of passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and boats, as well as dealers and end customers. In 2022, the Group generated sales of over 4 billion euros and employed about 16,800 people at more than 50 locations. The headquarters of the company, which was founded in 1901, is located in Stockdorf near Munich (Germany).