LiDAR helps deliver the promise of smart traffic management

Using LiDAR as the basis for smart traffic management systems could make roads safer, reduce congestion, and lower pollution. Will Girling learns more

The Toyota Mobility Foundation defines the ‘city of the future’ as a place where mobility is accessible and convenient for everyone. However, it concedes that the dream has yet to become a reality anywhere. As such, many players have different ideas about what the future of urban mobility will look like.

Smart traffic management (STM) systems have emerged as a promising upgrade to road-based transport and a potential cornerstone of smart city design. Using advanced sensor hardware and software, STM can tackle many prevalent issues, including safety, pollution, and congestion. But what is the best foundational technology for its deployment?

Angus Pacala, Chief Executive and Co-Founder of tech company Ouster, believes that LiDAR sensors are the ideal candidate. Having completed a merger with Velodyne Lidar in February 2023, the company is developing LiDAR technology across verticals such as autonomous vehicles (AVs), industrial robotics, and smart infrastructure. Pacala tells Automotive World why the sensors Elon Musk once called a “fool’s errand” could bring smart city transport closer to realisation.