LeddarTech: lighting the way to the future

Driving a car can be a lot like taking part in an obstacle course. A driver has to accurately judge the distance between his and other vehicles, swiftly react when a cyclist seemingly pops out of nowhere, carefully gauge just how far to back up without denting his bumper. Being able to overcome these and other obstacles is often a matter of safety. Having a sophisticated and reliable instrument to assist in detecting such potential hazards is every driver's dream.

The good news is that state-of-the-art technology that does all of that and more is no longer just a dream: not only does it exist, it was developed right here in Quebec at the Institut national d’optique (INO). Using the same principle as the radar, LeddarTM (Light Emitting Diode Detection and Ranging) technology makes it possible to accurately detect and locate objects with the help of light emitting diodes.

From lab to market

LeddarTech Inc. was launched in September 2007 as the result of a strategic spinoff from the INO. From the outset, the fledgling firm made innovation the cornerstone of its development and set out to commercialize the LeddarTM technology that is now a part of its remote detection and ranging systems.

Strong growth has enabled LeddarTech Inc. to, among other things, create some 15 highly-specialized jobs. The company is headed up by a seasoned team of managers—with President and CEO Marc Tremblay at the helm—who bring to the table complementary expertise in engineering, business prospecting and corporate finance. The company enjoys a solid standing among the 30 or so enterprises that constitute the Québec region's optics and photonics cluster.

Product quality: the key to market success

During its startup phase, LeddarTech received financial support from Canada Economic Development to help the firm improve its strategic capabilities and work on developing products perfectly tailored to the needs of a highly-promising market.

These efforts quickly paid off with the launch of a first device, the affordable, sturdy and user-friendly LeddarTM d-tec traffic management system. Mounted on existing traffic light poles, the d-tec offers an interesting alternative to video cameras or to magnetic loop induction systems which, installed below the pavement, are not always successful at detecting the presence of bikes or motorcycles. The verdict is in: the LeddarTM d-tec has clearly set itself apart from the American and European competition. It is less costly to install and maintain, works just as well at night as it does during the day and is as effective in snow, fog and rain. 

LeddarTM technology has been designed to meet drivers' peripheral detection needs. Not only does it help prevent collisions, it also considerably facilitates parking, blind-spot detection and lane-change manoeuvres.

But the automotive sector is not the only one benefiting from LeddarTM technology. The innovation has successful applications in the petrochemical, agri-food and pharmaceutical industries, where the exact gauging of chemicals or liquids in huge tanks and reservoirs is required. These industries operate in markets that offer tremendous annual growth potential on a global scale, which is why LeddarTech is leaving nothing to chance. 

Over the coming months, the dynamic firm will be seeking certification for its first commercial product, the LeddarTM d-tec, and demonstrating the innovation's many advantages to prospective customers across North America.

Innovation: the key to competitiveness

In keeping with its objectives, the Government of Canada is committed to supporting collaborative undertakings between research facilities and the business world in an effort to ensure that a greater number of technological innovations are transformed into new products and that our enterprises are able to hold their own on world markets.

Who would ever have believed only a few decades ago that a system using new generation lights would one day set the course for driving and help us detect our way to better road safety!