Lidar holds the potential to redefine automotive safety at a time when traffic deaths remain stubbornly high. But only if a substantial number of vehicles come equipped with these laser-based sensors.

While lidar is by no means commonplace, the technology is making its way into everyday, human-driven vehicles at an increasing pace thanks to Austin Russell, founder and CEO of Luminar Technologies.

Russell, 27, has pushed to demonstrate both the safety and business cases of lidar for mass-market vehicles. That paid off in a big way in April, when Luminar reached an agreement to start supplying lidar to Nissan Motor Corp. in the mid-2020s. By the end of the decade, Luminar’s lidar sensors are expected to reach every new Nissan vehicle. 

Lidar, which augments radar and cameras and provides a high-resolution depiction of a vehicle’s surroundings, should “not just be available to a select few on high-end vehicle models but is something that should be available to everyone,” Russell told Automotive News.

In some respects, lidar’s increased adoption has been a long time coming. Russell founded Luminar in 2012. Shortly after, he received a $100,000 fellowship from tech investor Peter Thiel and dropped out of Stanford University to focus on the burgeoning company.

In November, Luminar reached two more milestones. The company’s collaboration with Chinese automaker SAIC reached fruition with the start of lidar production for its R7 electric vehicle. Separately, Volvo revealed its EX90 SUV with Luminar’s lidar integrated into its roofline. 

Luminar also has agreements with Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Mobileye and others. 

Russell envisions the start of a new era.

“This isn’t just any widget or incremental feature on the vehicle,” he said. “This is something that has the ability to save lives, prevent collisions and injuries, and make a fundamental difference to the driving experience.”