Automotive case study | LiDAR for ADAS and AV

The Challenge

Build solid-state 3D LiDAR with 180-degree FoV for automotive applications (AV & ADAS)

Client: LeddarTech

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Location: Quebec City, QC, Canada

A leader in LiDAR technology, LeddarTech provides Tier-1 automotive suppliers and AD system integrators with the versatile LeddarEngine™ LiDAR platform, enabling them to design solid-state LiDAR solutions. To develop solid-state 3D LiDAR with a 180-degree FoV for use in AV and ADAS applications, LeddarTech needed a reliable partner with specific technical expertise.

Meet critical size and weight requirements

Design an IP67 rated, robust product

Develop electronic circuits and mechanical assembly in parallel

“Since we worked with Orthogone before, we knew we could count on them to collaborate with our team and deliver high-quality, critical work on time, and they did exactly that. Partnering with Orthogone helps us meet extremely aggressive timelines with exceptional results.”

- David Bourget, Hardware Manager, LeddarTech

The Solution

Partner with Orthogone for technical expertise

After successfully partnering with Orthogone in 2017 for the electronic design of multiple high-speed digital and analog printed circuit boards, LeddarTech again turned to Orthogone to provide needed technical expertise and speed development time.

CPU and ASIC card design expertise

To develop a product that would meet customer needs and be done on a tight schedule, LeddarTech asked Orthogone to provide CPU design expertise including high-speed signal, and develop most of the electronic components for the project in collaboration with in-house mechanical and electrical engineering groups.

For the 180-degree field of view solid-state 3D LiDAR project, Orthogone designed the CPU card used to control, monitor, and communicate with the internal modules and the LiDAR module, and be the main power supply interface of the system. Orthogone also developed an ASIC card that has the LeddarCore® LCA2 SoC and the photodiode detector on it.

Orthogone also designed custom flex cables to help reduce the interference between inside modules. The flex cable design uses a 2-layer architecture including a ground to keep better trace impedances and have better interference immunity.

CPU CARD DESIGN KEY FEATURES:

Power supply interface meeting EMC and voltage transient requirements of automotive applications
High-density processor based on Renesas R-CARv3M system-on-chip (SoC) with DDR3L memory that controls and monitors the whole system
Automotive ethernet interface between the R-CARv3M SoC and the external interface connector, using an automotive ethernet qualified PHY
Simulation of low noise power supplies and filters to minimize noise added to the system due to power supplies switching

ASIC card design key features:

Extremely low noise power supplies using LDO with high power supply ripple rejection
Simulation and calculation based on the spectral noise density of the LDO to meet the stringent noise requirement of the LeddarCore LCA2 SoC
Optimization of the photodiode interface circuits based on post-layout crosstalk simulation performed using Keysight ADS 2020 (using SiPro 3D EM simulation)
Delocalization of some supplies from the ASIC to the CPU card to help reduce the height of the Leddar Pixell and reduce system cost

The Results

Award-winning Leddar™ Pixell 3D flash LiDAR

As a result of the project, LeddarTech now has an award-winning product: the Leddar™ Pixell 3D flash LiDAR.

The Leddar Pixell is a 3D flash LiDAR with 180-degree field of view designed for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving (AD) applications. The Leddar Pixell provides highly reliable detection of pedestrians and other obstacles in the vehicle’s vicinity and is ideal for use in perception platforms that help ensure safety and protection. This robust solid-state LiDAR design makes it ideally suited for ADAS and AD deployments in any operating domain, including public transit, commercial delivery, long-haul trucking, off-road vehicles and robotaxis.

For more details on the Leddar Pixell

Award-winning Leddar Pixell

Received the Outstanding & Innovative Product Award by the Shenzhen Automotive Electronics Industry Association and recognized as a CES Innovation Award Honoree