Hesai Group, a leading producer of vehicle lidar sensors based in Shanghai, has unveiled a new technology designed to enhance autonomous driving systems by enabling sensors to detect color alongside traditional measurements. The company announced its 6D full-color lidar platform, which incorporates spatial coordinates (X, Y, Z), reflectivity, velocity, and color detection, marking a significant advancement in object identification for self-driving vehicles.

Set to enter the market in the second half of 2026, Hesai’s ETX lidar sensors represent the first of their kind, according to CEO David Li Yifan. He emphasized that this development is a fundamental innovation rather than a marketing strategy, aimed at improving the precision of autonomous systems by eliminating the need for complex stitching or inference when identifying critical colored objects such as traffic lights, lane markings, and construction signs.

Industry analysts have noted that the addition of color detection could substantially improve the spatial intelligence of artificial intelligence models used in autonomous driving. This enhancement is expected to increase the reliability and safety of vehicle perception systems by providing more accurate real-time information about the driving environment.

Hesai did not disclose which automakers have committed to adopting the ETX sensors but indicated it is working to reduce costs through expanded manufacturing capacity. The company plans to double its annual production to 4 million units in 2026, up from 1.62 million units delivered in 2025—a year that saw Hesai report a net profit of 435.9 million yuan (approximately HK$500.6 million), recovering from a net loss the previous year. The surge in demand is primarily driven by Chinese automakers’ accelerated development of self-driving electric vehicles.

The new ETX lidar sensors will integrate with Hesai’s self-developed Picasso system on chip, which is also featured in the company’s Kosmo handheld device designed for 3D spatial capture. Hesai’s technology is currently utilized by all of China’s top 10 automakers and plays a key role in the country’s rapidly evolving electric vehicle market.

China has recently authorized certain manufacturers to produce vehicles equipped with Level 3 autonomous driving technology, allowing cars to operate independently under specific conditions while requiring drivers to remain alert for intervention. Pilot programs for L3 autonomous driving are underway on designated urban and highway routes in cities including Chongqing and Beijing, with further expansions anticipated.

These developments position Hesai and its lidar innovations at the forefront of the intensifying global competition to advance driverless vehicle technologies.