Thomas Luce, Microvision
"Until 2027, lidar will remain in the luxury class"
Lidar manufacturer Microvision has taken over the insolvent supplier Ibeo. In an interview, Germany boss Thomas Luce talks about the reasons and future strategy of Microvision.
Thomas Luce is Vice President of Business Development at MicroVision. (Image: Microvision)
Mr. Luce, how did the takeover of Ibeo come about and why?
Because our focus for business development is also in Europe, it was necessary to be active locally. We then founded a branch here, but at the same time looked around to see how we could grow faster through a takeover. With Ibeo there was an opportunity to gain experience in the German market, but also the production know-how, because Ibeo had already industrialized its sensor. In addition, Ibeo was particularly strong in the software sector. Since our focus was on the hardware, this was an ideal match, thereby speeding up our development.
Which parts of the company were taken over and which locations are added?
In principle, we took over everything, especially of course the engineering. That's ultimately 250 employees. Hamburg is added. For the time being, we are well equipped there and can also serve our European customers well from there.
Let's talk about the portfolio. Will the Ibeo Lux continue to be produced at all?
The Ibeo Lux is a legacy from earlier times. It's still manufactured and distributed by us, but it's not our main focus.
It certainly looks different with the Ibeo Next, doesn't it?
Exactly, we want to continue to build and sell it. We hope to use a ZF production facility in Brest that is almost ready. We are currently in the process of acquiring customers. Some of Ibeo's former customers no longer exist. That's why one focus for the business development of the flash sensor will be going in the non-automotive direction, because by then the sensor is basically finished and there are definitely relevant markets in the agricultural and security sectors.
So by taking over Ibeo you are trying to gain a foothold in a new field of business?
Yes, but our focus is still automotive. With the Next, we have a product in a very mature condition, which would be a shame if we stopped using it now. That's why we want to produce the Next and also the Mavin in Brest.
When will production start in Brest?
The line for the Next is already in place, so we already want to produce small quantities. But the factory in Brest is owned by ZF. Negotiations are currently underway that we can have both products produced locally.
What significance did the Next also have in relation to the takeover and when do you plan to go into series production with it?
The reason for the takeover was primarily the software, i.e. the Perception software that Ibeo had developed. We will implement this on our lidar. This speeds up the entire development of Microvision. The Next is an option for applications that do not require long range. Nevertheless, we are in talks with OEMs for urban applications for the Next. But I don't see a large series production in the next few years. A big advantage is that we now have both ranges in the solid-state portfolio.
What sets your product, the Mavin, apart from the competition?
From the height alone. Then we also have a customer-specific ASIC in our sensor on which the perception can run. We not only issue a sequence of points, but we can already make an evaluation. This dramatically reduces the data rate and the costs in the overall system - and the response time is significantly reduced.
There are some who are skeptical about the future of lidar, especially with regard to 4D imaging radar and its cost advantage. How do you respond to such statements?
With 4D radar, you still don't have the resolution that you get with a lidar. If, for example, you want to detect a small object on the road during autonomous driving, then imaging radar also has a hard time with it. That will not work. And, of course, redundancy is also a very important aspect. Nor are we saying that you can get by without radar. We are convinced that you need the high resolution and accuracy of lidar to really enable safe driving.
When will lidar technology become widespread?
It will certainly remain in the luxury class until 2027. From 2028, however, the number of units could be so high that the first significant price movements towards $600 per unit could then be possible.
What is particularly important to take a leadership role in lidar?
In addition to performance, design will become a decisive factor. Whoever is the first to present a lidar vehicle in which you basically cannot see the lidar at all will get a lot of encouragement. In general, the path towards autonomous driving will continue and this will ensure that lidar technology prevails.
What is Mavin?
The Mavin DR is a LiDAR sensor with a dynamic field of view and a minimal form factor. Together with the high-resolution point cloud with low latency, the sensor is suitable for installation in the vehicle roof. The MicroVision 905nm lidar is designed to optimize lidar performance to deliver maximum performance while maintaining safety at all times. With Mavin DR, MicroVison meets the requirements for classification as a class 1 laser. Laser products of this class comply with the safety standards of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), they do not pose a hazard to the human eye or skin.
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