AEye Positions Software Defined Lidar as a Scalable Solution for Autonomy at CES

Las Vegas, NV — At CES, AEye highlighted a focused but ambitious vision for the future of intelligent perception. Rather than competing purely on hardware specifications, AEye is betting that flexibility, software control, and long-range performance will define the next phase of lidar adoption across automotive and industrial applications.

At the center of AEye's CES showcase is Stratos, a next generation lidar system designed to push both range and adaptability beyond what is currently common in the market.

Long Range Detection with a Smaller Footprint

AEye staff described Strada as a meaningful technical leap, particularly in long-range sensing.

"This is our new lidar product called Strada," an AEye representative explained at the booth. "It is the only lidar on the market that can detect beyond one kilometer, and we are showing that it delivers high performance and high resolution."

Just as important as range, AEye emphasized that the latest version reflects a significant reduction in physical size.

"Compared to last year, we reduced the form factor," the representative said. "There is much more perception built into the overall solution. It is really about intelligent perception, not just sensing."

From a TechTimes perspective, this combination of extended range and smaller hardware addresses two persistent challenges in lidar adoption: integration complexity and system cost.

Software Defined Lidar as a Differentiator

AEye's core differentiation lies in what it calls a software defined lidar architecture. Instead of relying on a fixed scanning pattern, AEye uses software to dynamically control how the lidar sensor allocates its attention.

"We have a very high performance sensor," the representative explained, "but the key is that software configures how the points are rendered. You can change performance for each use case separately, including the scanning technique."

This approach allows a single lidar system to adapt to different scenarios, such as long highway detection, dense urban environments, or industrial monitoring, without requiring entirely different hardware.

Positively, this flexibility positions AEye well for OEMs and partners looking to standardize hardware while customizing perception through software. Critically, it also places heavy emphasis on software maturity and calibration, areas where consistency and validation will be essential for large-scale deployment.

A Practical CES Message for Autonomy Stakeholders

For TechTimes readers tracking autonomy and sensor technology, AEye's CES presence stands out for its restraint. The company is not promising immediate full autonomy. Instead, it is addressing a more foundational problem: how perception systems can become more adaptable as vehicles and robots face increasingly diverse environments.

By focusing on long range detection, reduced size, and software configurability, AEye is positioning lidar as a scalable component rather than a static sensor. The challenge ahead will be translating that technical flexibility into reliable, production ready systems that meet automotive safety and cost requirements.

Still, at CES, AEye made a compelling case that the future of lidar will be defined not just by how far it can see, but by how intelligently it can adapt.