China’s lidar sensor makers Hesai, RoboSense stand to gain after fatal Xiaomi SU7 EV crash

“The accident will definitely boost adoption of lidars in cars, particularly EVs fitted with driver-assistant systems,” said Chen Jinzhu, CEO of Shanghai Mingliang Auto Service, a consultancy. “Hesai and Robosense can expect a business increase in the next few years.”

The car was travelling at 116km/h with the driver-assistance system engaged, and the self-driving system alerted the driver to take over two seconds before the car hit a concrete barrier, Xiaomi said in a statement.

A driver-assistance system analyses real-time conditions around the car based on sensor data to navigate and make decisions such as whether to accelerate past a slower vehicle. The existing systems in mainland China all require a human driver to be at the car’s controls and alert at all times.