SOS Lab, a South Korea-based LiDAR development company, said to be the world's first and most prominent developer of hybrid LiDAR for self-driving cars, plans to introduce its new and improved 3D LiDAR sensor to the international market at CES 2019 in Las Vegas.
In addition to their 3D hybrid LiDAR for autonomous vehicles, SOS Lab will display their 2D scanning LiDAR for auto-guided vehicles and drones, and their 2D solid-state LiDAR, used in security systems to detect near-field (5-10m) obstacles. A hybrid LiDAR-radar system combines the detection and signal-processing techniques of radar with the optical propagation characteristics of LiDAR.
SOS Lab claims to have secured $6 million (Rs 42 crore) in series A funding in September 2018. Founded in 2016, it is said to employ over 40 people and is expanding its R&D centre in Korea and business development center in Silicon Valley.
SOS Lab is reported to have recently won at the K-Global Pitching Contest in Silicon Valley in November 2018, and second place in China's 2018 Innovation 'Future AI startup' competition in the same month.
It is now developing solid-state LiDAR, as well as preparing for mass-production of its hybrid LiDAR scanner in 2019. SOS Lab's current hybrid scanning method and upcoming solid-state designs are expected to set the industry standard for affordable, accurate scanning solutions for autonomous vehicles.