Cepton, a developer of high-performance LiDAR solutions, has released Komodo, its proprietary LiDRA point cloud processor ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) chip. The system has achieved production-ready status and is expected to begin shipping in Q2 2023.
Developed in-house at Cepton’s Silicon Valley headquarters, Komodo will be integrated into several of its LiDAR models, working to enhance performance and reduce price. The chip itself is an integrated custom SoC designed to maximize the technical advantages of the provider’s LiDAR architecture, improving point cloud quality while reducing costs by replacing several merchant silicon devices. In developing its own dedicated ASICs, Cepton is looking to help OEMs achieve the price points necessary to drive widespread LiDAR adoption in their future vehicles. At the same time, replacing the FPGA and merchant silicon devices found in similar solutions, Komodo will support the scalability of Cepton’s LiDAR solutions.
Outlining the benefits of Komodo, Cepton highlighted its performance, enabled through its digital signal processing capabilities. Including filtering and noise reduction, they result in more accurate range and reflectivity measurements. A peak throughput of up to 12,000,000 points per second enhances point cloud quality – supporting higher resolution for more accurate object detection and tracking at longer distances. While achieving this performance, the chip’s low power consumption enhances its efficiency when compared to similar solutions. In supporting its integration into vehicles, Komodo is ISO26262 ASIL-B certified, while offering multiple camera interfaces and high-speed data channels for LiDAR-camera data fusion as well as communication with control units.
