Founder of LiDAR pioneer IBEO supports innovative Solid State LiDAR Company HLS

The development of more and more new driver assistance systems has significantly improved road safety over the past six decades. Since the invention of the anti-lock braking system (ABS) in the 1960s, active systems have helped to significantly reduce the number of serious accidents involving personal injury as traffic volumes have increased. As a quantum leap, alongside the rapid development of e-mobility, the automotive industry has been increasingly committed to realizing the vision of autonomous driving over the past 10 years.

With the adaptation of IBEO’s LiDAR technology in the form of the world’s first automotive laser scanner in mass-production, Ibeo Automotive Systems GmbH succeeded in 2017 in taking a decisive step in the development of LiDAR technology for environment and object recognition, a fundamental prerequisite for autonomous driving. The use of the first laser scanner in series production vehicles of the AUDI brand, based on IBEO technology, is preceded by a long history of development, in which founder and CEO of IBEO, Dr. Ulrich Lages, has been able to continuously develop the company since 1998 and expand it to more than 400 employees. At the beginning of 2023, IBEO was sold to an American investor.

Since June 2023, Dr. Ulrich Lages has been continuing the success story of the development of LiDAR technology, which he has shaped significantly, as the leading sales manager (CSO) of Hybrid Lidar Systems AG. "We are delighted to welcome Dr. Lages, one of the most experienced managers and a true pioneer of LiDAR technology, to our ranks," said Ingo Dietterle, CEO of Hybrid Lidar Systems AG, which was founded in 2018. "Dr. Lages has consistently demonstrated leadership and perseverance as a visionary over the past 25 years – qualities that will surely enable him to achieve great things in his new role at Hybrid Lidar Systems."

With Hybrid Lidar Systems, LiDAR technology takes another elementary step into the future. The further development of the automotive laser scanner into a full-solid-state LiDAR system creates optimal conditions for the use of the Hybrid LiDAR technology (ToF+PS) developed by HLS in the automotive sector. This allows the number of pixels on the receiver side to be increased into the six-digit range at low cost – while at the same time increasing the accuracy of range and measuring.

In addition, Dr. Lages has many years of expertise in the use of LiDAR technology in industrial environments, in logistics automation, as well as in applications for agriculture and mining/excavation. With this experience, Dr. Lages can contribute to the further development of the forward-looking Hybrid Lidar Systems technology and open up new fields of applications in the medium and long term.