- As LiDAR costs drop significantly to around $200, the sensor is beginning to penetrate from passenger cars into the two-wheeler market.
- Hesai's FTX LiDAR will be used in Niu's newly released NXT2, aiding safety perception on complex urban roads.
In China, even electric two-wheelers are now starting to be equipped with LiDAR, as the cost of the sensor once exclusive to high-end electric vehicles (EVs) continues to decline.
Chinese LiDAR manufacturer Hesai Group announced on Wednesday that it has partnered with the two-wheeler brand Niu Technologies to supply LiDAR to the latter.
Hesai's FTX fully solid-state blind-spot LiDAR will be used in Niu's products to enhance safety.
The LiDAR will first be equipped on Niu's newly released NXT2 to assist with safety perception on complex urban roads, according to Hesai.
The FTX features an ultra-wide maximum field of view of 180°×140°, enabling accurate, all-weather recognition of pedestrians, vehicles, and increasingly complex road environments, the LiDAR maker said.
This grants the electric two-wheeler all-weather, high-definition perception capabilities, acting as a "super eye" for the vehicle in complex urban scenarios, Hesai noted.
Through chip integration and mass production, Hesai has reduced the cost of LiDAR from hundreds of thousands of RMB to around $200, a drop of about 99.5%, according to the company.
The penetration rate of LiDAR in the overall passenger car market reached 19% by the end of 2025, crossing the tipping point for large-scale popularization, the company noted.
As urban traffic environments become increasingly complex, a single perception solution can no longer meet the demands for higher-level riding safety and intelligence, said Li Yan, CEO of Niu.
Hesai CEO Li Yifan said that this partnership sets a new intelligence standard for the industry and marks a step toward a safer and smarter future for two-wheeled mobility.
Just a few years ago, LiDAR was exclusive to high-end EV models.
With costs continuing to fall, more affordable models are starting to be equipped with the sensor.
In January, BYD filed for a LiDAR option for its most affordable $10,000 Seagull model. Earlier this month, Leapmotor filed for the A05 compact EV with LiDAR.
