Today, Luminar, a leading global automotive technology company, launched Sentinel1, a comprehensive software suite. This suite, the result of five years of innovative Software and AI development, aids automakers in advancing vehicle safety and autonomous functions.
Sentinel1 includes features like Proactive Safety, Perception, 3D Mapping and Localization, Simulation, and Dynamic LiDAR. The initial shipments occurred this week, with plans for delivery to top automakers in the third quarter of this year.
Luminar’s Sentinel suite, designed to enhance safety and autonomous functionalities for automakers, utilizes Luminar’s LiDAR hardware and AI-driven software technologies, primarily developed by its teams in Silicon Valley and Munich. Supported by third-party partners such as Scale AI, Applied Intuition, and Civil Maps (acquired by Luminar in 2022), Sentinel differs from other full-stack autonomous software solutions, which are typically designed for driverless robo-taxis. Instead, Luminar focuses on providing automakers with a toolkit for next-generation safety and autonomous features in consumer vehicles. The launch aims for Sentinel to be evaluated and integrated into automakers’ software development efforts.
A recent study by Swiss Re, one of the largest reinsurance companies globally, highlighted significant safety improvements in cars equipped with Luminar LiDAR and a development version of Sentinel software, showing up to a 40% reduction in accident severity. More details from the Swiss Re study are available here. Luminar aims to enhance safety and expects to monetize these benefits by offering its own packaged insurance product to automakers and consumers.
"Luminar is known for pioneering LiDAR systems for global production vehicles, but since 2017, we've also been developing next-generation AI-based software for enhanced safety and autonomy," said Austin Russell, Founder and CEO of Luminar. "Most major automakers currently lack software solutions for advanced assisted and autonomous driving systems. Our launch is timely, especially with the new NHTSA mandate for next-generation safety in all US production vehicles by 2029. We believe we are the only solution that meets all these requirements, allowing us to significantly increase our content value per vehicle in a high-margin capacity."
First previewed as a prototype in 2021 with limited capabilities, Sentinel has continuously evolved. The software included in the kits is under ongoing development, aiming for evaluation by automakers and technology companies for integration into future advanced safety and autonomous driving programs. Sentinel is designed to be compatible with almost any consumer and commercial vehicle, including both combustion engine and electric drivetrain models.
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 over 50 industry partners, including most global automotive OEMs. From consumer vehicle programs with Volvo Cars and Mercedes-Benz to technology partnerships including NVIDIA and Mobileye, Luminar is poised to be the first automotive technology company to enable next-generation safety and autonomous capabilities for global production vehicles.
For more information, please visit www.luminartech.com.