DURHAM – Cooling technology firm Phononic, which provides systems to cool a wide variety of devices and such big heat generators as telecom networks, has secured a contract to move more deeply into the growing vehicle guidance market for lidar (light detection and ranging).
Lidar – backed by Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs – is often linked with the development of autonomous vehicles. Phononic says it helps “how automobiles ‘see.'”
Phononic signed a supply agreement with Luminar, a provider of LiDAR tech to help “cars anticipate the road ahead rather than react to it,” according to Luminar’s website.
More auto makers are embracing lidar tech, and CNBC cites Florida-based Luminar as a potential leader in the market.
Financial terms weren’t disclosed.
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“Phononic is uniquely positioned to support lidar’s demanding performance, reliability, and manufacturing specifications needed to realize the next evolution in vehicle safety,” said Jason Ruppert, Device Solutions general manager at Phononic, in a statement. “This strategic supply agreement enables Phononic and Luminar to redefine best practices and create an unparalleled solution for next generation vehicle safety.”
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Phononic says it is “uniquely positioned to reliably deliver high-performance cooling that meets demanding automotive [original equipment manufacturer] standards.”
Marco Bracalente, Vice President of Product Development at Luminar, pointed out: “This agreement enables Phononic and Luminar to ensure the level of supply chain continuity and manufacturing availability expected by today’s major automotive customers.”
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