Lotus are the first car manufacturer to propose deployable lidar sensors on their first-ever SUV—the Eletre, slated for introduction as a 2024 model equipped with Hesai’s AT128 lidar. Just as lidar is not needed all the time, the sensors on the roof and in the front fenders are hidden most of the time. When required, they deploy automatically, revealing themselves from beneath hatches just above the front and rear windscreens.
Deployable components are becoming a hot item on many new vehicles. From door handles to charge port covers, modern cars charm drivers with pop-up features on command. However, these designs are a poor choice for vehicles used in cold climates—too much risk of them freezing shut, or being blocked or fouled with snow; ice, or slush.
Lotus’ plan is that with lidar onboard; plenty of cameras, and OTA updates, the Eletre will eventually be L4-capable—freeing the driver from having to pay any attention to the road as the vehicle drives itself in given designated areas. The retractable lidar does a lot for the Eletre’s lines, preventing the sensors compromising the vehicle’s overall design.
DVN comment
Retractable sensors seem to be an attractive integration solution to avoid unsightly warts marring the equipped vehicle’s style. Some car manufacturers offer such functionalities on rear parking cameras—the VW golf, for example, which deploys only during reverse manœuvres. In the case of lidars, mechanical constraints could be more severe due to the necessity to preserve a correct vertical alignment of the sensor after each cycle.