
Vueron Newsletter
No. 209
2025.05.30
AEye and LITEON Confirm Production of First Apollo Units from New Manufacturing Line | ||
Autonomous Driving | Baidu’s Apollo and CAR Inc to launch autonomous car rental service | |
LiDAR | Ouster to supply lidar sensors for Komatsu’s suite of autonomous offerings | |
Volvo Autonomous TaaS Product to Be Known as Autona/freight | ||
Kalmar and Forterra announce autonomous terminal tractor |
1. AEye and LITEON Confirm Production of First Apollo Units from New Manufacturing Line
- AEye, Inc. has successfully produced the first Apollo lidar sensors at LITEON’s manufacturing line in Taipei, Taiwan, marking a significant milestone in their partnership.
- The Apollo lidar sensor is designed to detect objects at highway speeds with a range of over one kilometer, redefining safety and performance standards for autonomous mobility.
- AEye CEO Matt Fisch emphasized the importance of their partnership with LITEON, highlighting the automotive-grade quality and consistency required by OEMs.
- LITEON’s advanced industrialization capabilities have enabled scalable production of Apollo units, supporting AEye’s capital-light business model.
- The partnership between AEye and LITEON is set to continue, aiming to bring next-generation lidar solutions to the market.
- Apollo is part of AEye’s 4Sight™ Flex family, offering best-in-class range and resolution in a compact, power-efficient form factor.
- The sensor can be integrated behind the windshield, on the roof, or in the grille, minimizing its impact on vehicle design while maintaining safety.
- Apollo is the only 1550 nm high-performance lidar capable of behind-the-windshield integration, with a detection range beyond one kilometer.
AEye and LITEON have successfully launched the production of Apollo lidar sensors, combining advanced manufacturing and cutting-edge technology for the next generation of autonomous mobility.
2. Baidu’s Apollo and CAR Inc to launch autonomous car rental service
- Baidu’s autonomous driving unit, Apollo, has partnered with CAR Inc, a leading Chinese car rental provider, to launch the country’s first autonomous car rental service.
- The partnership aims to accelerate the deployment of autonomous driving technology across various scenarios, including cultural tourism and urban destinations.
- Users will be able to reserve autonomous vehicles in advance for specific time slots, enabling flexible and independent travel.
- The service will begin in the second quarter of this year, with the two companies planning to expand their collaboration over the next three to five years.
- Baidu’s Vice President Wang Yunpeng highlighted the partnership as a benchmark model for autonomous driving in the cultural tourism rental industry.
- The two companies will jointly develop industry standards for autonomous vehicle rentals, ensuring safety, stability, and reliability.
- Apollo will leverage its decade-long experience in autonomous driving R&D, while CAR Inc will provide its extensive service network across China.
- The collaboration is expected to create scalable, replicable innovation models for autonomous driving services in multiple cities.
3. Ouster to supply lidar sensors for Komatsu’s suite of autonomous offerings
- Ouster has signed a multimillion-dollar agreement with Komatsu to supply high-performance 3D digital LiDAR sensors for Komatsu’s autonomous mining equipment.
- The partnership will replace Komatsu’s existing 2D LiDAR systems with Ouster’s 3D LiDAR, enhancing perception and functionality across its autonomous fleet.
- Komatsu will leverage Ouster’s REV7 series, which includes both long and short-range OS sensors, providing improved detection, navigation, and collision avoidance.
- The deal provides Komatsu with advanced access to Ouster’s future products, accelerating product development and enhancing equipment capabilities.
- Ouster’s LiDAR technology is designed to withstand the harsh conditions of mining environments, including shock, vibration, and extreme temperatures.
- Komatsu’s autonomous solutions aim to boost productivity, reduce total cost of ownership, and promote zero harm for global customers.
- The agreement is a significant step in Komatsu’s ongoing journey to advance mining automation and safety.
- Both companies are committed to leveraging advanced LiDAR technology to enhance the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of mining operations.

Ouster and Komatsu have entered a multimillion-dollar agreement for Ouster to supply 3D LiDAR sensors, enhancing the performance of Komatsu’s autonomous mining equipment.
4. Volvo Autonomous TaaS Product to Be Known as Autona/freight
- Volvo Autonomous Solutions (VAS) has officially named its transport-as-a-service (TaaS) product for the U.S. market as Autona/freight, with an initial rollout planned across the southern United States.
- The Autona/freight service will initially operate along a route between Dallas and Houston, with an online reservation system launched on May 2.
- VAS provides a comprehensive autonomous transport solution, including fleet management, uptime management, and operational support, making it easier for customers to adopt autonomous technology.
- The service primarily targets logistics companies, with DHL Supply Chain being one of the first customers, utilizing VNL Autonomous Class 8 trucks.
- VAS’ autonomous trucks are manufactured at the Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA) production plant in Dublin, Virginia.
- VAS is partnering with two self-driving software vendors, Waabi and Aurora Innovation, for autonomous driving software solutions.
- Aurora is the first developer to operate a commercial self-driving service with heavy-duty trucks on public roads, serving customers like Uber Freight and Hirschbach Motor Lines.
- VAS aims to extend its autonomous trucking solutions across other Volvo Group brands, including Mack Trucks and Renault Trucks, in the future.
Volvo Autonomous Solutions has launched its Autona/freight TaaS product, offering autonomous transport services for logistics companies, starting with a route between Dallas and Houston.
5. Kalmar and Forterra announce autonomous terminal tractor
- Kalmar Ottawa has announced the Kalmar Ottawa AutoTT, an autonomous terminal tractor designed for distribution centers, container terminals, and industrial yards.
- The AutoTT is undergoing a second round of testing in North American distribution centers, with plans for global deployment following successful tests.
- Full production of the AutoTT is expected by late 2026, with a proof of concept validation planned for 2025 and a broader pilot with select customers.
- The partnership between Kalmar (OEM solution provider) and Forterra (autonomous systems provider) was established in March 2024.
- The AutoTT leverages Forterra’s AutoDrive autonomous driving platform, which is designed for both commercial and military applications.
- Kalmar’s scalable automation platform, Kalmar One, allows customers to manage fleets of up to 200 autonomous units, enhancing operational efficiency.
- An electric version of the AutoTT, the T2EV, has also been announced, providing enhanced sustainability and the ability to autonomously navigate to charging stations.
- The combination of Kalmar’s trusted terminal tractor technology with Forterra’s advanced autonomous system aims to improve safety and efficiency for customers.
Kalmar and Forterra have introduced the Kalmar Ottawa AutoTT, an autonomous terminal tractor with scalable automation and planned global deployment by 2026.
*Contents above are the opinion of ChatGPT, not an individual nor company