On August 5, 2021, Hesai, the world’s leading lidar company, announced a strategic partnership with Horizon Robotics, a global leading AI chip manufacturer. Hesai produces automotive-grade, hybrid solid-state lidar “AT128”, while Horizon Robotics produces intelligent central computing platform “Journey 5”. The two parties will play to each company’s strength to achieve a “1+1>2” effect.

Through the partnership, Hesai and Horizon Robotics will provide better choices for mutual customers who use both AT128 lidar and Journey 5 chip. The Journey 5 computing platform is able to process AT128’s point cloud information in high efficiency, thus achieving better perception results.

Horizon Robotics has world-leading deep learning and decision-making algorithm capabilities. It focuses on edge AI computing, providing high performance, high hash rate, low power consumption, low latency chips and computing platform for autonomous driving.

Journey 5 is the third generation, automotive-grade chip after Journey 2 and Journey 3, inheriting high hash rate and performance. It is capable of 128 TOPS AI and16-channel camera perception computing, meeting the requirement of multi-sensor fusion, prediction and control for ADAS. With the official release of Journey 5, Horizon Robotics has become the sole provider on the market who is capable of providing AI chip solutions covering L2 to L4 driving requirements.

Hesai focuses on developing laser sensing technology, accumulating expertise in core components, proprietary chips, automotive-grade production capability, function safety, and active interference rejection. Hesai is a global leader in robotaxi lidar market while also having large-scale applications in fields such as robotruck and autonomous logistics. Today, Hesai has won customers spanning over 70 cities in 30 countries and regions.

AT128 is an automotive-grade, hybrid solid-state lidar for ADAS, OEM-installed series-production vehicles. It has ultra-high dot frequency and resolution, excellent ranging performance, and built-in, highly integrated self-proprietary chip. Hesai’s "Maxwell" manufacturing center is expected to go into full production in 2022, ensuring the mass production of AT128.

Recently, Horizon Robotics and Hesai have both achieved new milestones in terms of OEM-installed series-production vehicles, signing strategic partnerships with numerous OEM companies.

Yu Kai, founder and CEO of Horizon Robotics, said:

“Hesai and Horizon Robotics are both pioneering the intelligent transformation of automotive industry, coordinating with partners to promote OEM-installed series-production ADAS vehicles. In the future, the two parties will combine their respective technology advantages to provide customers with safe, reliable, and high performance ADAS solutions.”

Li Yifan, co-founder and CEO of Hesai, said:

“Horizon Robotics and Hesai are both mission-driven companies in terms of ‘empower robotics’. Furthermore, the two parties have respectively entered partnerships with world's top OEM, Tier 1 and autonomous driving companies. Horizon Robotics and Hesai have clear product boundaries and sharp focuses, which will translate into the best solutions for mutual customers.”

Horizon Robotics’ comprehensive AI chip equipped with Hesai’s self-proprietary lidar will combine into highly reliable intelligent perception capabilities. Through open source hardware and toolchain, autonomous driving companies can develop customized ADAS solutions. The partnership opens up new possibilities, empowering AV industry’s ecosystem as a whole.