Cepton selects ams OSRAM’s 905 nm lasers to fulfill large-scale contract for LiDAR solutions in ADAS and Autonomous Vehicles

A global leader in optical solutions, is expanding its partnership with Cepton Technologies (Cepton), a LiDAR innovator, to provide groundbreaking LiDAR solutions in ADAS, autonomous vehicles and more. Cepton continues to be a leader in the LiDAR market and recently secured a large-scale LiDAR series production award for ADAS from a global, Detroit-based automotive OEM. LiDAR, which is short for “Light Detection and Ranging,” calculates how long it takes for a laser beam to hit an object and reflect back. These measurements help create a 3D map of the vehicle’s surroundings to help guide the vehicle safely. Infrared illumination allows the vehicle to “see” its environment and is a key part of any LiDAR system. ams OSRAM is a market leading vendor with a strong portfolio of lasers that power many of today’s LiDAR systems.

Cepton’s recent production win with a global top 5 automotive OEM is a major milestone in the LiDAR industry due to its volume. With this deal, Cepton is expected to be the first LiDAR company to provide mass-market LiDAR solutions that feature ams OSRAM’s 905 nm lasers in ADAS across multiple vehicle models, not just luxury vehicles, by 2023.

Cepton CEO and co-founder Dr. Jun Pei said, “as we looked for a laser source partner for our mass-market LiDAR solution, ams OSRAM’s high-performance, compact size and automotive-grade edge-emitting laser provided a prime opportunity. Combined with the eye-safe operation at 905 nm wavelength enabled by ams OSRAM, our proprietary MMT® (Micro Motion Technology) imaging platform strikes the right balance between performance, cost and reliability, enabling the mainstream adoption of LiDAR in everyday consumer vehicles.”

ams OSRAM has been a leader in the market for over a decade, providing both Edge Emitting Lasers (EELs) and Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs). The company introduced the first 905 nm edge-emitting laser to the market. Today, it is the most commonly used wavelength in LiDAR solutions because of its low cost and reliability. The company continues to invest in advancing 905 nm laser technology, making it more efficient and easier to integrate.

“Our 905 nm lasers are some of the most efficient in the market, delivering the long-range measurements needed by autonomous vehicles to operate in any weather condition from rain and snow to fog,” said Joerg Strauss, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Visualization & Laser at ams OSRAM. “We are thrilled to continue our long relationship with Cepton by providing laser technology for its mass-market, scalable, automotive-grade LiDAR sensors. Cepton’s end-to-end LiDAR solutions are making our roadways safer by reducing accidents and enabling ADAS. Together, the two companies are helping usher in a new era in the automotive world with autonomous driving.”

Cepton uses ams OSRAM’s state-of-the-art laser diodes that combine outstanding performance and power efficiency. The compact product features multi-junction laser technology with three epitaxially-grown emitters stacked on top of each other. The laser can operate at temperatures up to 125°C.