Volvo is taking another big step into the future of automotive safety and innovation. Following the successful debut of the all-electric EX90 SUV, Volvo has announced that its upcoming luxury sedan—the Volvo ES90—will also be equipped with advanced LiDAR technology from Luminar, a global leader in automotive sensing systems.
This makes the ES90 the second Volvo vehicle to integrate Luminar’s LiDAR, signaling the automaker’s strong commitment to next-generation safety and semi-autonomous driving capabilities. With production of the ES90 slated for later this year, Volvo is clearly pushing forward with its vision of safer, smarter electric vehicles.
What’s New: Luminar Technology in the Volvo ES90
If you’re not familiar with LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), it’s one of the most important breakthroughs in automotive technology today. Think of it like radar, but using laser light to create a detailed, 3D map of the car’s surroundings in real-time. While cameras and radar sensors have been staples in driver assistance systems, LiDAR fills in critical blind spots—especially in low-light conditions—by seeing farther and with more precision.
Volvo has chosen Luminar’s Iris LiDAR system to power the ES90’s safety capabilities. This sensor will be paired with a full suite of high-tech tools including radars, cameras, and ultrasonic sensors. All this tech comes together to create an extremely precise awareness of what’s happening on the road—something that’s essential for both safety and the transition to autonomous features.
According to Alwin Bakkenes, Head of Software Engineering at Volvo Cars, “The Iris LiDAR on ES90 will complement an advanced set of sensors and enable exceptional perception to help keep everyone safe inside and around the car.”
Scaling Up a Proven Partnership
This isn’t the first time Luminar and Volvo have worked together. Their collaboration began with the Volvo EX90, the brand’s flagship all-electric SUV. The EX90 has already hit the market with great reception, showing that this tech isn’t just conceptual—it’s here, it’s real, and it’s making a difference.
Now, with the ES90 sedan, Volvo is extending that same high level of technology and safety to another category of driver: those looking for luxury, performance, and sustainability all wrapped into a premium electric car.
“We’re proud to be selected again by Volvo for a global automotive launch,” said Austin Russell, CEO of Luminar. “The ES90 will help scale our safety-critical technology at a time when consumers, automakers, and regulators alike are demanding the most advanced sensing capabilities — and this is just the beginning.”
What Makes Luminar’s LiDAR Different?
So what’s the big deal about Luminar’s LiDAR? In a word: range. Their system can detect pedestrians up to 250 meters away and can even identify small objects like a tire on the road 120 meters ahead—and that’s while traveling at highway speeds.
Unlike cameras, LiDAR doesn’t rely on ambient light. It performs equally well at night and in low-visibility conditions, which is where a significant number of road accidents tend to happen. This level of long-range vision is critical to both avoiding collisions and enabling more advanced autonomous features down the line.
With this technology embedded directly into the roofline of the ES90 (a design choice that keeps the system both sleek and functional), Volvo is sending a clear message: safety isn’t optional—it’s foundational.
The SPA2 Platform: A Solid Tech Foundation
The Volvo ES90 will be built on the same next-generation SPA2 platform that powers the EX90. This modular electric vehicle architecture is designed to support large vehicles with cutting-edge technology and high-range battery capabilities. With LiDAR and other sensor systems integrated directly into the platform’s design, safety isn’t tacked on—it’s engineered from the ground up.
This makes it easier for Volvo to scale similar safety systems across future models while keeping consistency in performance, diagnostics, and software updates.
Why This Matters
The future of driving is not just electric—it’s intelligent. With autonomous driving tech moving from experimental to mainstream, the industry needs safety systems that go far beyond what we’ve relied on in the past. LiDAR is shaping up to be the backbone of that shift, and Volvo is placing a big bet on Luminar to deliver.
For drivers, this means more peace of mind. Whether it’s avoiding a collision in the dark, recognizing hazards long before the driver sees them, or powering new semi-autonomous features, Luminar’s tech will be working in the background—quietly, efficiently, and relentlessly.
And for Volvo, this is a competitive edge. As more consumers make the switch to electric vehicles, the differentiator isn’t just range or performance—it’s trust. Trust that the car sees more, reacts faster, and protects better.
A Glimpse Into What’s Next
With the EX90 already in customers’ hands and the ES90 rolling off production lines soon, the Luminar-Volvo partnership is proving to be more than just a one-off experiment. It’s part of a larger roadmap that could redefine what we expect from modern vehicles.
And this could just be the beginning. If you’re in the market for a premium electric sedan that prioritizes cutting-edge safety as much as luxury and sustainability, the Volvo ES90 is definitely one to watch.
About Luminar: Luminar Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: LAZR) is an automotive technology company driving the future of safe autonomy and advanced driver-assist systems. Their partners include some of the biggest names in the industry—Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, NVIDIA, and Mobileye. For more info, visit luminartech.com.
