Autonomous driving possible even in fog and snow Waymo, the autonomous vehicle subsidiary of Alphabet (Google), has developed a new weather-resistant LiDAR sensor specifically designed for challenging environmental conditions. Goal: enable fully autonomous driving in any weather. What is LiDAR?LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging – a sensor that uses laser beams to create a precise 3D model of the surroundings. Previous systems struggled with: Dense fog Snowfall Reflective surfaces (e.g., wet asphalt) Waymo’s Innovations: Multi-wavelength lasers: Operate across different frequency ranges for higher accuracy. Self-cleaning lenses with nano-coating: Prevent fogging or ice buildup. Integrated AI-powered filtering software: Removes weather-related interference from raw data. Significance: Improves safety standards for autonomous vehicles. Opens new deployment possibilities in extreme weather regions (e.g., Canada, Scandinavia). A step toward an all-weather robotaxi fleet.