PARIS — Valeo will focus on driver assistance and self-driving technology at CES 2022, including two new lidar systems.
The annual consumer-electronics showcase in Las Vegas has been scaled back this year because of a new COVID-19 surge, but it has become the main venue for new automotive-technology debuts.
Paris-based Valeo is one of the largest suppliers of lidar, which scans the road ahead with laser pulses to create a detailed image map for self-driving and advanced driver assistance systems. Most automakers plan to combine lidar, radar and cameras to enable true self-driving vehicles.
Cost has been the main barrier for adoption, but traditional suppliers and startups are working to make lidar more affordable, and are developing long-range systems that can “see” the road hundreds of meters ahead, even in bad weather.
Valeo plans five major launches at CES:
- A third generation of long-range scanning lidar, which it says will help enable self-driving up to 130 kph (80 mph) on highways by revealing objects 200 meters ahead or more. A market debut is set for 2024.
- At the same time, Valeo will show a new near-field lidar system that creates a 360-degree view of nearby objects and hazards, including those concealed by the vehicle’s blind spots.
- For infotainment displays, Valeo has created VoyageXR Panorama, imaging technology that shows a “drone’s eye view” of the vehicle on a digital screen. Connectivity allows remote users to access the 3D image and change the perspective. It can also help drivers with parking and other low-speed maneuvers.
- Safe Insight, a sophisticated warning system that monitors the driver, rear-seat passengers and whether a child has been left behind in a parked car. Other interior innovations include Odor Free, which diffuses a “white fragrance” to cancel unwanted odors, and a covid detection system that monitors a passenger’s biometrics with sensors to warn of possible infection.
- A small electric motorcycle with a 48-volt powertrain that weighs 17 kg (37 pounds), which Valeo says is comparable to a 125 cc internal combustion model. The prototype is aimed at Asian markets where high-polluting two-stroke engines are still popular. The 48-volt electric motor has also been integrated into bicycles that will go into production in 2022. Valeo says it provides 130 Newton-meters of torque, multiplying pedal effort eight-fold.
Valeo ranks No.10 on the Automotive News list of top 100 global suppliers, with automotive sales of $16.94 billion in 2020. It is the fifth-largest Europe-based supplier.