Lighting specialist Osram has acquired a strategic 25.1% share in LeddarTech Inc., a Canadian company that develops a proprietary LiDAR technology integrated into semiconductors and sensor modules for self-driving cars and driver assistance systems.

LeddarTech specializes in solid-state LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) systems that use infrared light to monitor the area around them. Its advanced optical sensing technology is highly complementary with Osram’s semiconductor products. The two companies already work together and Osram has now made a mid double-digit million euro investment in LeddarTech.  

Stefan Kampmann, Chief Technology Officer at OSRAM Licht AG commented, “Osram is already the world’s leading provider of sensor lights for autonomous vehicles and is experiencing steadily rising demand in this field. We see the investment in LeddarTech as a logical step on the way to becoming the leading provider of solutions in this area.”

Osram’s investment in LeddarTech is a response to the growing demand for LiDAR technology, which is an essential component in self-driving vehicles and in many other mobilityrelated applications. LiDAR is similar to radar technology in that it detects objects and measures distances and speeds, but it is based on infrared light.