Aeva strikes lidar chip-making deal with LG subsidiary

Aeva Technologies, a U.S.-based maker of advanced 4D LiDAR sensing systems, has entered a manufacturing partnership with LG Innotek, the components and materials subsidiary of South Korea’s LG. Under the agreement, LG Innotek will manufacture and supply Aeva’s Atlas Ultra 4D LiDAR sensors primarily for the automotive sector, targeting some of the top 10 global passenger vehicle OEMs. LG Innotek will also invest up to $50 million in Aeva, acquiring about a 6% equity stake. The partnership aims to eventually expand the use of Aeva’s technology into consumer electronics, robotics, and industrial automation. Aeva’s 4D LiDAR technology differs from conventional systems by using Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) technology to measure both distance and velocity for every pixel in real time, providing richer data akin to moving from black-and-white to color imaging. The company has miniaturized the entire LiDAR system, including optics,