China's lidar maker Hesai unveils color-detecting sensor

China’s lidar maker Hesai said at an event in Shanghai it has developed a color-detecting sensor for autonomous driving that can identify items such as traffic lights, with mass production planned for later this year and use in flagship cars by 2027.

Hesai said the EXT sensor uses its in-house Picasso chip, while co-founder Sun Kai called it the industry’s first lidar to combine spatial and color detection in one device.

Hesai sells lidar to Chinese EV brands including Li Auto, Xiaomi, and BYD. Lidar was used in 3% of vehicles worldwide in 2025, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

🔗 Source: Reuters

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Implications, context, and why it matters.

The color-detecting EXT sensor is separate from Hesai’s ETX product roadmap and broader global contracts

Hesai’s new EXT lidar uses its proprietary Picasso chip. Co-founder Sun Kai calls it the first device to combine spatial and color detection, with production planned for later this year and a rollout in flagship vehicles by 2027 1.
The company also introduced ETX, an automotive-grade 800-line ultra-long-range lidar for Level 3 and Level 4 autonomous driving. It targets 400 meters for low-reflectivity objects, with production expected to start in 2026 2.
The lineup also covers robotics and industrial automation, beyond passenger vehicles 3.
Hesai won an exclusive multi-year design win with a leading European original equipment manufacturer (OEM), meaning a carmaker, for a next-generation global vehicle platform. The deal includes internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric vehicle (EV) models, with the program running into the next decade 4.
KnowMade, a firm that tracks technology patents, counted 920 patent applications in 558 patent families tied to automotive lidar 5.

Hesai is positioning lidar as the essential ‘eyes’ for a new wave of physical AI

Hesai casts lidar as core infrastructure for “physical AI.” In robotics, it serves as the “eyes” that support perception and navigation 6.
NVIDIA picked Hesai as a lidar partner for NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Hyperion 10, an autonomous driving hardware and software platform. Hesai qualified its sensors on the DRIVE Hyperion architecture 7.
Hesai works with South Korea-based MOVIN, a motion-capture technology company, to supply lidar including the JT128 for 3D motion-capture systems. The setup aims for studio-grade motion capture across many environments 8.