Hesai Unveils Picasso 6D Full-Color Lidar ASIC and Upgraded ETX Platform for L3 Autonomy
Hesai Technology introduced the world's first 6D full-color SPAD-SoC lidar platform, Picasso, and a next-generation ETX lidar with up to 4,320 channels, targeting mass production in late 2026 for L3 autonomous driving.
4,320
600 meters
230 million units
What Happened
Hesai Technology unveiled the world's first 6D full-color ultra-sensitive lidar ASIC platform, Picasso, at its 2026 Technology Open Day on April 17. The SPAD-SoC integrates RGB sensing and time-of-flight ranging at the chip level, enabling direct generation of colorized point clouds without complex sensor fusion. With photon detection efficiency exceeding 40%, Picasso delivers industry-leading sensitivity for long-range and low-light performance.
Built on the Picasso architecture, the next-generation ETX lidar platform features up to 4,320 channels and a maximum detection range of 600 meters (400 meters at 10% reflectivity). It can identify objects as small as 15×25 cm at 150 meters. ETX is expected to enter mass production in the second half of 2026, supporting L3 autonomous driving systems in multiple flagship vehicle models.
51%%
In February 2026, Hesai held 51% of the Chinese automotive lidar market, 2.2 times the second-ranked player.
Why this matters
The new technology enables vehicles to capture geometry and color natively on a single chip, improving perception of traffic signals and lane markings, which is critical for safe L3 autonomous driving.
Terms in This Story
- SPAD-SoC
- Single Photon Avalanche Diode System-on-Chip, a chip that integrates a SPAD sensor array with processing circuits.
- ToF
- Time-of-flight, a method of measuring distance by sending light pulses and timing their return.
- ASIC
- Application-Specific Integrated Circuit, a custom chip designed for a specific use rather than general-purpose.
- VDA 6.3
- A process audit standard from the German Association of the Automotive Industry, used to assess manufacturing quality.
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