Luminar Collaborates With Caterpillar on Industrial Autonomous Solution
Luminar (LAZR) has announced a strategic collaboration with Caterpillar to integrate LiDAR technology into Caterpillar's next generation autonomous solution. The partnership will feature two Iris LiDARs in Cat® off-highway trucks, specifically designed for Caterpillar's Command hauling operations in quarry and aggregate sites.
Caterpillar's autonomous trucks have demonstrated significant success, operating across three continents with over 334 million kilometers traveled and moving more than 9.3 billion tonnes. The LiDAR technology will enhance navigation and obstacle detection capabilities in autonomous machines through pulsed laser scanning for precise environmental measurements.
Luminar (LAZR) ha annunciato una collaborazione strategica con Caterpillar per integrare la tecnologia LiDAR nella prossima generazione di soluzioni autonome di Caterpillar. La partnership prevede l'installazione di due Iris LiDAR nei camion Cat® off-highway, progettati specificamente per le operazioni di trasporto Command di Caterpillar in cave e siti di aggregati.
I camion autonomi di Caterpillar hanno dimostrato un notevole successo, operando su tre continenti con oltre 334 milioni di chilometri percorsi e trasportando più di 9,3 miliardi di tonnellate. La tecnologia LiDAR migliorerà le capacità di navigazione e rilevamento degli ostacoli nelle macchine autonome attraverso la scansione laser pulsata per misurazioni ambientali precise.
Luminar (LAZR) ha anunciado una colaboración estratégica con Caterpillar para integrar la tecnología LiDAR en la próxima generación de soluciones autónomas de Caterpillar. La asociación contará con dos Iris LiDAR en camiones Cat® fuera de carretera, diseñados específicamente para las operaciones de transporte Command de Caterpillar en canteras y sitios de agregados.
Los camiones autónomos de Caterpillar han demostrado un éxito significativo, operando en tres continentes con más de 334 millones de kilómetros recorridos y moviendo más de 9.3 mil millones de toneladas. La tecnología LiDAR mejorará las capacidades de navegación y detección de obstáculos en las máquinas autónomas a través de escaneo láser pulsado para mediciones ambientales precisas.
루미나(LAZR)는 캐터필러와 전략적 협력을 발표하여 캐터필러의 차세대 자율 솔루션에 LiDAR 기술을 통합합니다. 이 파트너십은 캐터필러의 채석장 및 집합체 사이트에서의 Command 운송 작업을 위해 특별히 설계된 Cat® 오프하이웨이 트럭에 두 개의 아이리스 LiDAR가 탑재됩니다.
캐터필러의 자율 트럭은 세 대륙에서 운영되며 3억 3천4백만 킬로미터 이상을 주행하고 93억 톤 이상을 이동하며 상당한 성공을 거두었습니다. LiDAR 기술은 정밀한 환경 측정을 위한 펄스 레이저 스캐닝을 통해 자율 기계의 내비게이션 및 장애물 감지 기능을 향상시킬 것입니다.
Luminar (LAZR) a annoncé une collaboration stratégique avec Caterpillar pour intégrer la technologie LiDAR dans la prochaine génération de solutions autonomes de Caterpillar. Ce partenariat comprendra deux Iris LiDAR dans des camions Cat® tout-terrain, spécialement conçus pour les opérations de transport Command de Caterpillar dans les carrières et les sites d'agrégats.
Les camions autonomes de Caterpillar ont démontré un succès significatif, opérant sur trois continents avec plus de 334 millions de kilomètres parcourus et transportant plus de 9,3 milliards de tonnes. La technologie LiDAR améliorera les capacités de navigation et de détection des obstacles dans les machines autonomes grâce à un balayage laser pulsé pour des mesures environnementales précises.
Luminar (LAZR) hat eine strategische Zusammenarbeit mit Caterpillar angekündigt, um LiDAR-Technologie in die nächste Generation autonomer Lösungen von Caterpillar zu integrieren. Die Partnerschaft wird zwei Iris LiDAR in Cat® Off-Highway-Trucks umfassen, die speziell für die Command-Transportoperationen von Caterpillar in Steinbrüchen und Aggregatstandorten entwickelt wurden.
Die autonomen Trucks von Caterpillar haben erheblichen Erfolg gezeigt und sind auf drei Kontinenten unterwegs, mit über 334 Millionen Kilometern zurückgelegt und mehr als 9,3 Milliarden Tonnen transportiert. Die LiDAR-Technologie wird die Navigations- und Hinderniserkennungskapazitäten in autonomen Maschinen durch gepulste Laserscanning für präzise Umweltmessungen verbessern.
- Partnership with industry leader Caterpillar expands Luminar's market beyond automotive
- Integration of two Iris LiDARs per vehicle indicates significant potential unit sales
- Exclusive integration system design suggests long-term partnership commitment
- No financial terms or revenue projections disclosed
- Initial deployment to quarry and aggregate operations
Insights
Luminar's partnership with Caterpillar represents a significant technological expansion beyond automotive applications into heavy industrial equipment. The implementation of two Iris LiDARs per off-highway truck with a custom integration system demonstrates Luminar's ability to adapt their core technology to rugged industrial environments.
What's technically impressive is how Luminar's LiDAR – originally designed for passenger vehicles – is being repurposed for much larger industrial machines operating in harsh quarry and aggregate environments. These conditions present different technical challenges than roads, including dust, vibration, and varied terrain. The "unique integration system designed exclusively for Caterpillar" suggests substantial engineering collaboration to ensure the technology performs reliably in these demanding settings.
Caterpillar's autonomous fleet statistics – 334 million kilometers traveled and 9.3 billion tonnes moved – indicate they've accumulated vast operational data. Their selection of Luminar suggests the LiDAR technology offers performance advantages over whatever sensing technology they've been using in previous generations. For Luminar, this validates their technology's versatility and robustness beyond automotive applications.
The partnership creates a technical showcase for Luminar in a completely different sector, potentially leading to additional industrial applications in mining, construction, agriculture, and other heavy equipment markets where autonomy delivers significant operational benefits.
This Caterpillar partnership marks a critical strategic expansion for Luminar beyond its core automotive market. While financial details aren't disclosed, the business implications are substantial as it diversifies Luminar's revenue streams and reduces its dependence on automotive OEMs – addressing one of the company's key investor concerns about market concentration risk.
The industrial equipment sector represents an entirely new addressable market with different adoption cycles than passenger vehicles. Caterpillar's extensive autonomous experience indicates this isn't a pilot program but rather integration into established commercial operations with proven ROI for customers. Their operational scale – moving 9.3 billion tonnes autonomously – suggests significant deployment potential if the technology performs well.
For context, Luminar's automotive-focused business model relies on capturing a portion of high-volume vehicle production, while the industrial equipment market offers lower volume but higher per-unit revenue potential. Each Caterpillar truck will include two Iris LiDARs, doubling the per-vehicle hardware revenue compared to most automotive implementations.
This agreement establishes a foothold in the industrial autonomy sector with the market leader, potentially opening doors to adjacent industrial applications. With Luminar's market cap around $251 million and the stock trading at $5.66, this diversification strategy is important for demonstrating growth potential beyond automotive. The collaboration should be viewed as strategically significant with revenue impact developing over the medium to long term.
The Cat® off-highway truck will feature two Iris LiDARs.
LiDAR, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging, is critical for navigation and obstacle detection in autonomous machines. LiDAR uses light in the form of a pulsed laser to continuously scan the surrounding environment and provide high-precision measurement of the shape and size of objects nearby.
The Luminar LiDAR technology will be introduced with Cat® Command for hauling, initially targeted for quarry and aggregate operations. The Cat® off-highway truck will feature two Iris LiDAR with a unique integration system designed exclusively for Caterpillar. Caterpillar has long been recognized as an industry leader in autonomy, with autonomous trucks on three continents having traveled more than 334 million kilometers and autonomously moving more than 9.3 billion tonnes.
“We are proud to collaborate with Luminar on our next generation autonomous solution. We’ve invested in autonomy and automation for more than 30 years, and we’ve seen how it adds value for our customers in terms of safety, productivity and efficiency,” said Jaime Mineart, Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President of Integrated Components and Solutions for Caterpillar Inc.
“This new partnership with Caterpillar, the global leader in industrial equipment, has the opportunity to be a spearhead for next industrial revolution of automation,” said Austin Russell, Founder and CEO of Luminar. “Now that Luminar has successfully executed for automotive series production, we’re able to branch out to adjacent markets with a shared mission. Together, we look forward to saving lives and enhancing profitability for CAT customers around the world with industry-leading capabilities.”
About Caterpillar
With 2024 sales and revenues of
About Luminar:
Luminar is a global automotive technology company ushering in a new era of vehicle safety and autonomy. For the past decade, Luminar has built an advanced hardware and software/AI platform to enable its various partners, ranging from Volvo Cars and Mercedes-Benz to NVIDIA and Mobileye, to develop and deploy the world's most advanced passenger vehicles. Following the launch of the Volvo EX90 as the first global production vehicle to standardize its technology, Luminar is poised to lead the industry in enabling next-generation safety and autonomous capabilities for global production vehicles. For more information, please visit www.luminartech.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as “aims,” “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “set,” “continue,” “towards,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “forward,” and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. The forward-looking statements include statements relating to expectations regarding opportunities to advance automation, to save lives and to enhance profitability. Forward-looking statements are based on expectations and assumptions by our management and involve a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated, including that next-generation sensors and software will be developed successfully, and that these systems will perform as intended and achieve meaningful safety or efficiency improvement. More information on these risks and other potential factors that could affect the Company’s business is included in the Company’s periodic filings with the SEC, including in the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of the Company’s most reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made.
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Luminar Contacts:
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Press@luminartech.com
Investor Relations:
Aileen Smith
Investors@luminartech.com
Source: Luminar
FAQ
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