A Reddit video highlights how lidar lasers can cause permanent damage to camera sensors in self-driving cars, specifically in models like the Volvo EX90. Lidar (light detection and ranging) operates by emitting infrared laser beams to build a 3D map of the surroundings. While humans can't see the lasers, cameras are sensitive and can suffer severe damage when exposed. Volvo cautions owners about this issue, but some have learned its risks unexpectedly, including a self-driving car engineer who experienced sensor damage first-hand at a technology expo.
Lidar lasers burn your camera, the Reddit user warned. Lidar is short for light detection and ranging, and it's become the go-to way for automakers to enable their self-driving cars to 'see' their surroundings.
Lidar works by shooting a constant stream of infrared laser beams to measure the distance to nearby objects, creating a 3D reconstruction. Cameras are sensitive to powerful laser beams.
Volvo explicitly warns about lidar damage on its support page and its owners manual, but that hasn't stopped a few surprised owners from learning about it the hard way.
The burn-in damage disappears when the camera zooms out: that's the camera transitioning from a long lens to its undamaged short one.
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