What happens to a ToF LiDAR in fog?

TL;DR

This study investigates how fog affects the performance of typical ToF LiDAR sensors, using controlled fog conditions and machine learning to predict operational limits, aiding automotive sensor design.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of ToF LiDAR performance in fog and introduces a machine learning model to predict visibility thresholds for successful ranging.

Findings

Fog density significantly impacts LiDAR ranging performance.

A machine learning model can predict minimum visibility for effective LiDAR operation.

Experimental data informs automotive LiDAR specifications.

Abstract

This article focuses on analyzing the performance of a typical time-of-flight (ToF) LiDAR under fog environment. By controlling the fog density within CEREMA Adverse Weather Facility 1 , the relations between the ranging performance and fogs are both qualitatively and quantitatively investigated. Furthermore, based on the collected data, a machine learning based model is trained to predict the minimum fog visibility that allows successful ranging for this type of LiDAR. The revealed experimental results and methods are helpful for ToF LiDAR specifications from automotive industry.