A Hesai lidar sensor on top of a vehicle in Shenzhen, China, July 10, 2022.Jade Gao | AFP | Getty ImagesFor investors in lidar startups, this has been a long time coming.After years of talk — and a SPAC boom in the sensor sector — automakers have finally started incorporating lidar units into their vehicles. And many more lidar-equipped models are expected over the next few years.Lidar, short for light detection and ranging, is a sensor technology that uses invisible lasers to create a detailed 3D map of the sensor’s surroundings. Lidar sensors are considered important components of nearly all autonomous-vehicle systems currently under development. They’re also finding increasing applications with advanced driver-assist systems as well as many other areas of robotics.Playing into investors’ intense interest in self-driving technolog …
