By Greg Gao

(JW Insights) Ari 13 -- Chinese LiDAR maker Hesai Group(禾赛科技) was sued by US rival Ouster, a San Francisco-based provider of LiDAR light sensors on April 11 for patent infringement in Delaware federal court and at the US International Trade Commission, reported Reuters.

LiDAR technology is used for 3D mapping, navigation and object detection in various high-tech industries. Ouster’s complaints said Hesai incorporated its digital LiDAR technology into the Shanghai-based company’s sensors.

Hesai did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the complaints, according to Reuters.

“As companies attempt to copy our digital approach, we will continue to vigorously enforce our intellectual property until the infringing products are barred," Ouster CEO Angus Pacala said in a statement on March 12.

Ouster said in the complaints that it pioneered technology transforming LiDAR from "an analog device with thousands of components" into a simple digital device.

Ouster accused Hesai’s sensors of infringing five patents covering core aspects of its digital LiDAR technology. It asked the Delaware court for an unspecified amount of money damages and the ITC to bar imports of infringing Hesai products.

Hesai settled a patent dispute with San Jose, California-based Velodyne in 2020. Ouster and Velodyne merged in February, said a report from Reuters.

Founded in 2014 and based in Shanghai, Hesai has grown into a leading provider of LiDAR solutions for vehicles with advanced driver-assistance systems and autonomous driving features. Its products have secured millions of orders from auto OEMs. Hesai went public at the Nasdaq Stock Market in US on February 9, raised $190 million in its initial public offering.