5.1 A 240×192 Pixel 10fps 70klux 225m-Range Automotive LiDAR SoC Using a 40ch 0.0036mm² Voltage/Time Dual-Data-Converter-Based AFE

A safe and reliable self-driving system is a key enabling technology for a society without traffic jams or accidents; LiDAR plays an essential role for such systems. To ensure higher levels of safety and comfort, early detection of small objects (e.g., debris/children) is crucial. To achieve this, state-of-the-art LiDARs [1-3] must attain even more finely scaled pixel resolution: for example, a 0.1-degree angle resolution (a 2× finer resolution than [3]) is required to detect a 20×20cm ² object 100m away. However, hybrid LiDAR systems [3] require a pair of TDC/ADC AFEs per pixel to obtain both precise short-range (SR) distance measurement (DM) and 200m long-range (LR) DM. Scaling the pixel resolution will significantly enlarge the SoC area and explode its cost.