Unlocking the Limitless Potential of LiDAR: Vueron Technology

Autonomous driving, where vehicles operate without driver input, is a groundbreaking technology that many see as the future of transportation. However, for it to become widely adopted, safety and accuracy remain critical concerns. To address these challenges, many autonomous vehicles are turning to the ‘LiDAR sensor’ as a key component for enhancing safety.

A LiDAR sensor is a device that uses infrared wavelengths to rapidly scan the surrounding area. Previously, cameras were used to detect obstacles, but they had limitations in accurately measuring distances. LiDAR, on the other hand, excels at identifying the shape and position of objects in the environment, making it easier to determine the distance and form of nearby obstacles.

LiDAR technology, which excels in detecting and analyzing the environment, is now being widely used in building infrastructure for various sectors, such as smart cities and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). As the demand for precise sensing increases, LiDAR sensors are becoming a critical component in these fields.

In response to this growing demand, Vueron Technology has been developing software that allows LiDAR to be applied effectively across multiple industries. Early on, Vueron recognized the immense potential of LiDAR and has since established itself as a leader in the domestic and global LiDAR markets.

We spoke with Jaekwang Kim, CEO of Vueron Technology, to gain insights into how the company is driving LiDAR adoption across a wide range of industries.

Vueron Technology is a company that develops and supplies perception solutions for LiDAR, a critical sensor used in autonomous driving. LiDAR is now being applied across various industries, including autonomous driving. In response to this, our company is building two LiDAR sensor solutions: one for unmanned vehicles and another for infrastructure.

As a deep-tech company, Vueron is driven by the philosophy that technology must lead the way and provide the highest level of innovation. Our primary goal is to make the world safer and more convenient through technology. We believe our technology should not just exist for the sake of technological achievement or developer satisfaction. Instead, we focus on creating technology that addresses real-world problems and meets the needs of the market and customers.

To achieve this, we prioritize development and have created an efficient environment conducive to technological advancement. We want not only the company’s technology to grow but also for our team members to learn from each other and grow together. We emphasize communication and sharing by holding quarterly workshops where we assess achievements, address challenges, and continuously refine our vision and direction.

We also believe that solving practical problems requires effective communication between the technical and business sides of the company. During our workshops, business teams learn about the progress of our technology and how it aligns with market demands, while the technical teams gain insights into what customers need and what business-related improvements are necessary.

Additionally, we place great importance on fostering a flat organizational culture. Regardless of position or title, everyone is encouraged to engage in active discussions. For instance, if a team member returns from an exhibition with new ideas or a project they want to try, we take these suggestions seriously and often implement them after careful internal review. This helps ensure that information is shared openly and that opinions are freely exchanged within the company.

Vueron Technology focuses on two major products and solutions. The first is VueOne, a LiDAR perception solution designed for ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) and autonomous driving. When LiDAR is installed in vehicles, it detects moving obstacles in the surrounding area and, using AI, identifies whether the obstacle is a person, vehicle, or another object.

VueOne boasts exceptional performance and safety, achieving full autonomous driving with just one LiDAR sensor. Vueron has received autonomous driving permits from both California and Nevada in the U.S., as well as twice in South Korea. It remains the first and only company globally to obtain such permits using only a single LiDAR sensor, a unique achievement that highlights Vueron’s technological edge.

VueOne also offers significant advantages in terms of scalability. It is the only LiDAR solution that can operate on mass-produced chips used by OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers). The technology is not only adept at detection and perception but is also optimized for seamless integration into actual vehicles and industrial systems. Its capability to be directly applied to mass-production systems makes it highly attractive to numerous clients, including automotive manufacturers and parts suppliers. Vueron is actively involved in various projects to verify the technology’s fit for these companies. Recently, Vueron expanded its business to the logistics market, establishing an eco-friendly autonomous truck system for cold chain logistics.

The second product is VueTwo, which offers diverse perception functions using infrastructure. It is used in smart intersections and smart highway monitoring to manage traffic flow by detecting vehicles and pedestrians, automatically adjusting traffic signals, and identifying unexpected situations. Additionally, VueTwo excels in detecting individuals, making it useful for services such as queue wait-time monitoring and congestion analysis. The technology can alert authorities when someone enters a hazardous area or when a crowd forms, helping preempt potential risks related to congestion. It’s highly applicable in security and safety sectors, and unlike cameras, it has the advantage of avoiding privacy concerns due to the nature of its sensors.

Currently, VueTwo is being utilized to analyze wait times and congestion at domestic and international airports and is being implemented in smart pole projects for global smart cities as part of road environment demonstration projects.

Vueron possesses the core technology for LiDAR perception solutions that can be applied to mass-produced vehicles. Our goal is to actively apply our VueOne solution to mass-produced autonomous vehicles. Beyond automobiles, we are also working to ensure the safe use of unmanned vehicles such as ships and robots, and we plan to continue developing solutions for a variety of autonomous systems.

In addition, we aim to deliver value to a range of industries that require LiDAR, including logistics, ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems), industrial safety, and security. Our ultimate goal is to use our technology to make the world more convenient. We aspire to become a company that not only manages the entire LiDAR module but also sets the standard for LiDAR solutions globally.