Aeva, a California-based sensor manufacturer, today announced a new collaboration with LG Innotek, the material and component-making arm of LG Group, the South Korean multinational conglomerate. The partnership includes a strategic investment of up to $50 million by LG Innotek for product development and capital investment to ramp up production. The funds, which will give LG an equity stake, must still undergo regulatory approval.
The collaboration will help Aeva accelerate the commercialization of its Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) perception platform across a range of industries and new applications, including automotive, industrial automation, robotics and consumer devices.
"The ultimate goal of this partnership is for LG Innotek and Aeva to grow together as key players leading the next-generation LiDAR market through a long-term technology partnership that goes beyond the supply of products," said Hyuksoo Moon, CEO of LG Innotek.
The partnership establishes a foundation to accelerate the adoption of Aeva's FMCW-based perception platform into Physical AI, where intelligent systems equipped with sensors, processing and AI software can perceive, understand and interact with the physical world in real-time.
By combining Aeva's perception platform, which consists of its FMCW lidar-on-chip sensor, a custom processing System-on-Chip (SoC) and perception software, with LG Innotek's scale and cross-industry leadership, the two companies will develop new sensing and perception solutions.
The collaboration will begin in the automotive sector, where LG Innotek will manufacture and supply Aeva's Aeva Atlas Ultra 4D LiDAR sensor. The deal includes products for Aeva's previously announced development program with Mercedes-Benz. About two weeks ago, Aeva also struck an updated agreement with Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) to advance the commercialization of autonomous vehicles through enhanced production of Aeva's state-of-the-art 4D LiDAR technology.
Beyond automotive, Aeva and LG Innotek will co-develop new sensing and perception products for the industrial automation market, designed for use across a range of industrial equipment operating both indoors and outdoors.
LG Innotek is already a key player in optical and LiDAR sensing modules for the robotics sector, including next-generation humanoid robots from leading technology companies. Together, the companies will pursue opportunities to deliver next-generation perception systems for the market.
Finally, Aeva and LG Innotek plan to explore new product opportunities in emerging consumer applications such as smartphones, tablets, AR/VR headsets, smart appliances and home robotics—areas where FMCW sensing can unlock new capabilities.
