Method and system for controlling a vehicle

Abstract

Method (300) for steering a vehicle (10), wherein the method comprises: Receiving (320), by a controller (34), of first return data acquired by a first detector (D1) of a lidar device (40a) as a result of a first laser pulse or chirp; Receiving (340), by the control (34), of second return data, which are detected by a second detector (D2) of the lidar device (40a) as a result of a second laser pulse or chirp; Combine (350), by control (34), the first return data and the second return data to form a point cloud (360); and Control of the vehicle (10) by the control unit (34) based on the point cloud; wherein the first detector (D1) of the lidar device (40a) and the second detector (D2) of the lidar device (40a) are arranged side by side on the lidar device (40a); wherein the first detector (D1) of the lidar device (40a) and the second detector (D2) of the lidar device (40a) are spaced apart from each other on the lidar device (40a) based on a sampling rate; and wherein the first detector (D1) is configured to have a first sensitivity, wherein the second detector (D2) is configured to have a second sensitivity, the first sensitivity being greater than the second sensitivity.

Description

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to lidar systems and in particular to systems and methods for increasing the distance measurement dynamic range of a vehicle lidar system.

[0002] An autonomous vehicle is a vehicle capable of perceiving its surroundings and navigating with little or no user input. An autonomous vehicle perceives its environment using sensor devices such as radar, lidar, image sensors, and similar technologies. The autonomous vehicle system also utilizes information from GPS (Global Positioning System) technology, navigation systems, vehicle-to-vehicle communication, vehicle infrastructure technology, and / or drive-by-wire systems for navigation.

[0003] While autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles offer many potential advantages over conventional vehicles, improving vehicle operation can be desirable in certain circumstances. For example, sensor systems can be characterized based on their different operating ranges. Lidar systems offer greater accuracy at longer distances than other sensor systems. However, long-range lidar systems, due to their higher sensitivity and laser power, are more susceptible to elements near the vehicle, such as dust, fog, and exhaust fumes. Therefore, the near-range accuracy of a long-range lidar is compromised when sensing over long distances.

[0004] US 2018 / 0284237A1 describes a lidar system. The lidar system comprises a light source configured to emit light, a scanner configured to detect a field of view of the lidar system using (i) a first output beam containing at least a portion of the emitted light and having a first power quantity, and (ii) a second output beam containing at least a portion of the emitted light and having a second power quantity different from the first power quantity, with an angular separation between the first output beam and the second output beam along a vertical dimension of the field of view, and a receiver configured to detect light associated with the first output beam and light associated with the second output beam that is scattered by one or more distant targets.

[0005] Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide improved systems and methods to increase the distance measurement dynamic range of a lidar system.

[0006] The problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims.

[0007] Furthermore, other desirable features and properties of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the attached claims in conjunction with the attached drawings and the aforementioned technical field and background.

[0008] Systems and methods for controlling a vehicle are provided. According to the invention, a method comprises: receiving, by the controller, first return data acquired by a first detector of a lidar device as a result of a first laser pulse or chirp; receiving, by the controller, second return data acquired by a second detector of the lidar device as a result of a second laser pulse or chirp; combining the first return data and the second return data by the controller to form a point cloud; and controlling the vehicle by the controller based on the point cloud. The first detector of the lidar device and the second detector of the lidar device are arranged side by side on the lidar device. The first detector of the lidar device and the second detector of the lidar device are spaced apart from each other on the lidar device based on a sampling rate.The first detector is configured to have a first sensitivity, and the second detector is configured to have a second sensitivity, with the first sensitivity being greater than the second sensitivity.

[0009] In various embodiments, the method comprises: initiating, by means of a controller on board the vehicle, the first laser pulse of the chirp from the lidar device based on a first power; initiating, by means of the controller, the second laser pulse from the lidar device based on a second power; and wherein the first power is greater than the second power, wherein the first return data is a result of the first laser pulse or chirp, and wherein the second return data is a result of the second laser pulse or chirp.

[0010] In various embodiments, combining the first return data and the second return data includes combining the first return data and the second return data and determining a distance measurement based on the combination.

[0011] In various embodiments, the first laser pulse or chirp is the same laser pulse or chirp as the second laser pulse or chirp.

[0012] In various embodiments, the first return data and the second return data are assigned to the same object.

[0013] In various embodiments, the first return data includes a first point measurement, and the second return data includes a second point measurement.

[0014] In various embodiments, the first return data includes a first waveform, and the second return data includes a second waveform.

[0015] In another embodiment, a system according to the invention for controlling a vehicle comprises: a first lidar device; and a controller configured to receive, by means of a processor, first return data captured by a first detector of a lidar device as a result of a first laser pulse or chirp, second return data captured by a second detector of the lidar device as a result of a second laser pulse or chirp, to combine the first return data and the second return data to form a point cloud, and to control the vehicle on the basis of the point cloud.

[0016] In various embodiments, the controller is further configured to initiate the first laser pulse of the chirp from the lidar device based on a first power; to initiate the second laser pulse from the lidar device based on a second power; and wherein the first power is greater than the second power, wherein the first return data is a result of the first laser pulse or chirp, and wherein the second return data is a result of the second laser pulse or chirp.

[0017] In various embodiments, the controller is configured to combine the first and second return data and determine a distance measurement based on the combination. The first and second detectors of the lidar device are arranged side-by-side. Alternatively, the first and second detectors are spaced apart based on a sampling rate. The first detector is configured to have a first sensitivity, and the second detector is configured to have a second sensitivity, with the first sensitivity being greater than the second sensitivity.

[0018] In various embodiments, the first laser pulse or chirp is the same laser pulse or chirp as the second laser pulse or chirp.

[0019] In various embodiments, the first return data and the second return data are assigned to the same object.

[0020] In various embodiments, the first return data includes a first point measurement, and the second return data includes a second point measurement.

[0021] In various embodiments, the first return data contains a first waveform, and the second return data contains a second waveform.

[0022] The exemplary embodiments are described below in conjunction with the following drawing figures, where identical numbers denote identical elements, and where Fig. 1A is a functional block diagram representing an autonomous vehicle with a lidar system according to various embodiments; Fig. 1B a representation of the vehicle and the lidar system of Fig. 1A according to various embodiments; Fig. 2 a schematic block diagram of an automated driving system (ADS) for the autonomous vehicle according to different embodiments; Fig. 3 a data flow diagram of a control module of the lidar system according to different embodiments; Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the lidar return data according to different embodiments; and Fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a lidar control method according to different embodiments.

[0023] In one or more exemplary embodiments described herein, a vehicle capable of autonomous operation comprises a number of different devices that generate data representing a scene or environment near the vehicle from various perspectives. The power of a single sensor or multiple sensors can be modified to improve the range and / or resolution of the sensor data. Furthermore, multiple detectors can be implemented to process sensor feedback of varying power to further enhance the range and / or resolution of the sensor data. The enhanced or improved data set can then be analyzed and used to determine commands for the autonomous operation of one or more actuators on board the vehicle. In this way, the autonomous operation of the vehicle is influenced by the enhanced data sets.

[0024] For example, as described below in connection with Fig. As described in more detail in Figures 1-5, in exemplary embodiments a control system, generally shown at 100, is connected to a vehicle 10 according to various embodiments. In general, the control system 100 selectively combines lidar return data from at least two lidar pulses or chirps, one of which is generated at high power and one at low power, to increase the resolution and / or detection range provided by the final data set.

[0025] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 1A, the vehicle 10 typically comprises a chassis 12, a body 14, front wheels 16, and rear wheels 18. The body 14 is mounted on the chassis 12 and essentially encloses components of the vehicle 10. The body 14 and the chassis 12 can together form a frame. The wheels 16-18 are each rotatably coupled to the chassis 12 near a corner of the body 14.

[0026] In various embodiments, the vehicle 10 is an autonomous vehicle, and the control system 100 is integrated into the autonomous vehicle 10 (hereinafter referred to as autonomous vehicle 10). The autonomous vehicle 10 is, for example, a vehicle that is automatically controlled to transport passengers from one place to another. In the illustrated embodiment, the vehicle 10 is depicted as a passenger car, but it should be understood that any other vehicle, including motorcycles, trucks, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), recreational vehicles (RVs), watercraft, aircraft, etc., can also be used. In one exemplary embodiment, the autonomous vehicle 10 is a so-called Level Four or Level Five automation system.A Level Four system indicates a "high level of automation" and refers to the driving-mode-specific performance of an automated driving system in all aspects of the dynamic driving task, even if a human driver does not respond appropriately to a request for intervention. A Level Five system indicates "full automation" and refers to the full-time performance of an automated driving system in all aspects of the dynamic driving task under all road and environmental conditions that a human driver could handle. As can be seen, the vehicle can be a non-autonomous vehicle in various embodiments and is not limited to the examples presented here.

[0027] As shown, the vehicle 10 generally comprises a drive system 20, a transmission system 22, a steering system 24, a braking system 26, a sensor system 28, an actuator system 30, at least one data storage device 32, at least one control unit 34, and a communication system 36. The drive system 20 may, in various embodiments, comprise an internal combustion engine, an electric machine such as a traction motor, and / or a fuel cell drive system. The transmission system 22 is configured to transmit power from the drive system 20 to the vehicle wheels 16-18 according to selectable speed ratios. According to various embodiments, the transmission system 22 may comprise a gear-ratio automatic transmission, a continuously variable transmission, or another suitable transmission. The braking system 26 is configured to deliver a braking torque to the vehicle wheels 16-18.The braking system 26 can, in various embodiments, comprise friction brakes, brake-by-wire, a regenerative braking system (e.g., an electric motor), and / or other suitable braking systems. The steering system 24 influences the position of the vehicle wheels 16-18. Although the steering system 24 is shown with a steering wheel for illustrative purposes, in some embodiments considered within the scope of this disclosure it may not include a steering wheel.

[0028] The sensor system 28 comprises one or more sensor devices 40a-40n that detect observable conditions of the external environment and / or the internal environment of the autonomous vehicle 10. The sensor devices 40a-40n may include, but are not limited to, radar, lidar, global positioning systems, optical cameras, thermal imaging cameras, ultrasonic sensors and / or other sensors.

[0029] In the embodiments described here as examples, one or more of the sensor devices 40a-40n are implemented as lidar devices 40a. In this respect, the sensor devices 40a-40n can include one or more emitters and one or more detectors. The emitters transmit light beams, which can be continuous-wave, pulsed, or modulated, into the environment of the vehicle 10; and the detectors detect reflections of the transmitted light beams from elements in the environment.

[0030] In various embodiments, the emitters and detectors are configured to scan the environment near the vehicle 10 horizontally and rotationally using a scanning device at a specific angular frequency or rotational speed. For example, the emitters and / or transmitters may use MEMs, rotating mirrors, micromotors, optically phased arrays (OPAs), or other solid-state scanning methods to guide, transmit, emit, and collect the light waves. A lidar scan, as used here, should be understood to refer to a single pass of a lidar device 40a, and a sampling rate specifies the rate at which the lidar device 40a completes the single pass.

[0031] In various embodiments, as in the exemplary illustration of Fig. As shown in Figure 1B, the lidar device 40a includes at least two detectors 52 (or more) assigned to a single emitter 54. The single emitter (E1) is configured to emit light beams of different powers or to achieve a change in power attenuation due to intentional misalignment of a detector. For example, the first detector (D1) is configured to receive and process long-range backscattered reflections from a high-power light beam (e.g., a pulse of more than 75 W with a width of less than 5 ns or a continuous wave of more than 100 mW), while the second detector (D2) is configured to receive and process short-range backscattered reflections from a low-power light beam (e.g., a low-power pulse of less than 10 W with a width of 5 ns or a continuous wave of less than 10 mW).In another example, the position detector (D1) can be located at the edge of the Gaussian beam profile for <1% of the energy, while 99% is in the main beam assigned to the first detector (D1), such that both backbeams can be received from a single pulse or chirp. With retroreflectors, 1% will provide a large signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to the second detector (D2), while the first detector (D1) will be saturated and provide invalid readings. This allows for a higher distance dynamic range for highly reflective objects (e.g., signs) and very weakly reflective objects (e.g., road surfaces) that cannot be detected by a single detector.

[0032] In various embodiments, the first detector (D1) and the second detector (D2) can be of the same detector type or different detector types, including, but not limited to, PIN photodiodes (PD) (least sensitive, short range, many photons required to produce one electron), avalanche photodiodes (APD) (medium range), and single-photon avalanche photodiodes (SPAD) (most sensitive, long range, one photon required to produce one electron). For example, if a high-power pulse is generated for both detectors, a pair consisting of one SPAD and one PD can be implemented. In another example, if a high-power pulse is generated for one detector and low power is produced by alignment or laser control, a pair consisting of one SPAD and one SPAD, or a pair consisting of one APD or one PD, can be implemented.

[0033] In various embodiments, the first detector (D1) and the second detector (D2) are arranged side by side on a scanning device 50. The first detector (D1) and the second detector (D2) can be located on the same scanning device or on a different scanning device than the transmitter (E1). The first detector D1 and the second detector D2 are laterally spaced apart based on the sampling rate of the scanning device 50. As in the time steps T1, T2 of Fig. As shown in Figure 1B, the spacing allows the same object in the environment to be scanned with two successive light pulses or chirps. When relying on mechanical rotation to align the detector (D2), the spacing would, for example, refer to the rotation rate and the pulse / chirp rate. If the pulse rate is 100,000 Hz and the rotation rate is 10 Hz (600 rpm), the azimuth scan from pulse to pulse is 0.036 degrees (360 / (100,000 / 10)), and the distance between the detectors would be 0.036 degrees.

[0034] With reference to Fig. 1A comprises the actuator system 30 comprising one or more actuator devices 42a-42n that control one or more vehicle features, such as, but not limited to, the drive system 20, the transmission system 22, the steering system 24, and the braking system 26. In various embodiments, the vehicle features may further include internal and / or external vehicle features, such as, but not limited to, doors, a trunk, and cabin features such as air, music, lighting, etc. (not numbered).

[0035] The data storage device 32 stores data for use in the automatic control of the autonomous vehicle 10. In various embodiments, the data storage device 32 stores defined maps of the navigable environment. In various embodiments, the defined maps can be predefined by and obtained from a remote system (described in more detail with respect to Fig. 2) For example, the defined maps can be compiled by the remote system and transmitted (wirelessly and / or via cable) to the autonomous vehicle 10 and stored in the data storage device 32. As can be imagined, the data storage device 32 can be part of the controller 34, separate from the controller 34, or part of the controller 34 and part of a separate system.

[0036] The communication system 36 is configured to wirelessly transmit information to and from other entities 48, such as, but not limited to, other vehicles (“V2V” communication), infrastructure (“V2I” communication), remote systems and / or personal devices (described in more detail in relation to Fig. 2) communicates. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication system 36 is a wireless communication system configured to communicate via a wireless local area network (WLAN) using IEEE 802.11 standards or via cellular data communication. However, additional or alternative communication methods, such as a dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) channel, are also considered within the scope of this disclosure. DSRC channels refer to one-way or two-way short- to medium-range wireless communication channels specifically designed for use in motor vehicles, and to a corresponding set of protocols and standards.

[0037] The controller 34 comprises at least one processor 44 and a computer-readable storage device or storage medium 46. The processor 44 can be any custom or commercially available processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an auxiliary processor among several processors assigned to the controller 34, a semiconductor-based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chipset), a macroprocessor, any combination thereof, or generally any device for executing instructions. The computer-readable storage device or the computer-readable storage media 46 can, for example, include volatile and non-volatile storage in read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), and keep-alive memory (KAM).KAM is a persistent or non-volatile memory that can be used to store various operating variables while the processor 44 is switched off. The computer-readable storage device or medium 46 can be implemented using any of a number of known storage devices such as PROMs (programmable read-only memory), EPROMs (electrical PROMs), EEPROMs (electrically erasable PROMs), flash memory, or any other electrical, magnetic, optical, or combined storage device capable of storing data, some of which represent executable instructions used by the control device 34 in controlling the autonomous vehicle 10.

[0038] The instructions can comprise one or more separate programs, each containing an ordered list of executable instructions for implementing logical functions. When executed by the processor 44, the instructions receive and process signals from the sensor system 28, perform logic, calculations, procedures, and / or algorithms for the automatic control of the components of the autonomous vehicle 10, and generate control signals for the actuator system 30 to automatically control the components of the autonomous vehicle 10 based on the logic, calculations, procedures, and / or algorithms. Although in Fig. 1 where only one control device 34 is shown, embodiments of the autonomous vehicle 10 may include any number of control devices 34 which communicate via any suitable communication medium or combination of communication media and which cooperate to process the sensor signals, perform logic, calculations, procedures and / or algorithms and generate control signals for automatic control of features of the autonomous vehicle 10.

[0039] In various embodiments, one or more instructions from the controller 34 are embedded in the control system 100 and, when executed by the processor 44, cause the processor 44 to execute the procedures and systems described in more detail below. In particular, when executed by the processor, the instructions control the emitter 54 ( Fig. 1B), the scanning device 50 ( Fig. 1B) and / or process data from detectors 52 ( Fig. 1B), to combine low-power and high-power data to form a single distance measurement of objects for use in controlling the vehicle 10.

[0040] According to various embodiments, the controller 34 implements an autonomous driving system (ADS) 70, as shown in Fig. 2 shown. This means that suitable software and / or hardware components of the controller 34 (e.g. processor 44 and computer-readable storage device 46) are used to provide an autonomous drive system 70, which is used, for example, in conjunction with the vehicle 10 to automatically control various actuators 30 on board the vehicle 10, thereby regulating the vehicle's acceleration, steering, and braking without human intervention.

[0041] In various embodiments, the instructions of the autonomous driving system 70 can be organized according to function or system. For example, the autonomous driving system 70, as shown in Fig. Figure 2 shows a computer vision system 74, a positioning system 76, a guidance system 78, and a vehicle control system 80. As can be imagined, the instructions in various embodiments can be organized in any number of systems (e.g., combined, further subdivided, etc.), since the disclosure is not limited to the examples shown.

[0042] In various embodiments, the computer vision system 74 synthesizes and processes sensor data and predicts the presence, location, classification, and / or path of objects and features in the vehicle's environment 10. In various embodiments, the computer vision system 74 can incorporate information from multiple sensors, including but not limited to cameras, lidars, radars, and / or any number of other sensor types. In various embodiments, the computer vision system 74 implements the control system 100 described herein.

[0043] The positioning system 76 processes sensor data together with other data to determine the position (e.g., a local position relative to a map, an exact position relative to the lane of a road, the vehicle's direction, speed, etc.) of the vehicle 10 relative to its surroundings. The guidance system 78 processes sensor data together with other data to determine a path for the vehicle 10 to follow. The vehicle control system 80 generates control signals to control the vehicle 10 according to the determined path.

[0044] With reference to Fig. 3 and further on Fig. 1A, Fig. 1B and Fig. 2 shows Fig. Figure 3 shows an embodiment of a control module 200 of the control system 100, which can be implemented by or incorporated into the controller 34, the processor 44, and / or the image processing system 74. In various embodiments, the control module 200 can be implemented as one or more submodules. As can be understood, the submodules shown and described can be combined and / or further subdivided in various embodiments. Data inputs to the control module 200 can be received directly from the sensor devices 40a-40n, from other modules (not shown) of the controller 34, and / or from other controllers (not shown). In various embodiments, the control module 200 includes a signal control module 202, a data acquisition module 204, and a calibration data storage device 206.

[0045] In various embodiments, the signal control module 202 generates control signals 208 for controlling the lidar devices 40a. In various embodiments, the signal control module 202 generates at least two control signals. For example, a first control signal 210 is generated to trigger a first scan by the lidar device 40a, and a second control signal 212 is generated to trigger a second scan by the lidar device 40a.

[0046] The timing of the control signals 210, 212 is based on a sampling rate. As discussed above, the sampling rate is based on the position of the first detector (D1) relative to the second detector (D2). For example, the sampling rate is set so that one and the same object can be sampled by two successive pulses. In various embodiments, the signal control module 202 determines the sampling rate based on the calibration information stored in the calibration data memory 206.

[0047] In various embodiments, the signal control module 202 generates the control signals 210, 212 based on a desired power level. For example, a first control signal 214 is generated to control the pulse through the lidar device 40a based on a first high power level (e.g., a power level within a first range), and a second control signal 216 is generated to control the pulse through the lidar based on a second low power level (e.g., a power level within a second range) or based on the first high power level (e.g., based on the implementation and spacing of the detectors).The first control signal 214 corresponds to the first control signal 210, and the second control signal 216 corresponds to the second control signal 212, so that the return signals of the first scan are observed by the first detector D1 (optimized for long-range performance) and the return signals of the second scan are observed by the second detector D2 (optimized for short-range performance). In various embodiments, the signal control module 202 determines the power (e.g., low or high) based on the calibration information stored in the calibration data memory 206.

[0048] In various embodiments, the signal control module generates control data 218, which specifies position, time management and signal values ​​in relation to the control signals 210, 212.

[0049] The data processing module 204 receives the control data 218 and the lidar return data 220 as a result of the first signals and the lidar return data 222 as a result of the second signals and generates point cloud data 224 based on this. In various embodiments, the data processing module 204 generates the point cloud data 224 by combining each point and / or each waveform of the lidar return data 220, 222, thus improving range and resolution.

[0050] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the diagram displays, for example, the distance along the x-axis and the intensity along the y-axis. A long-range waveform 80 and a short-range waveform 82 are combined to form a combined waveform 84 for the short-range distance. This combined waveform removes the short-range noise from the long-range waveform. The combined waveform is used to generate the point cloud data 224. The point cloud data 224 can then be used by other systems for further analysis and for controlling the vehicle 10.

[0051] With reference to Fig. 5 and with continued reference to Fig. Figure 1-4 illustrates a flowchart of different embodiments of a process 300, which is fed into a controller 34 in the control system 100 of Fig. 1, which includes the ADS 70 and the control module 200 from Fig. 3, as supported by the present revelation, may be embedded. As is understood in light of the revelation, the order of operations within the procedure is not limited to sequential execution, as in Fig. Figure 5 is not limited, but can be carried out in one or more different sequences depending on the case and according to the present disclosure. In various embodiments, the process 300 can be planned to run based on one or more predetermined events, and / or it can run continuously during the operation of the vehicle 10.

[0052] In one example, the process can begin at 305. The control signal 210 is generated to control the lidar device 40a according to a first sampling rate and power at 310. The lidar waveform with high transmit power is acquired at 320 by the first detector D1, which has the orientation optimized for long-range performance. Optionally, the control signal 212 is generated to control the lidar device 40a according to a second sampling rate and power at 330 (e.g., if a low-power pulse or chip is implemented). The lidar waveform with low transmit power is acquired at 340 by the second detector D2, whose orientation is optimized for short-range performance.

[0053] The high-power long-range waveform and the low-power short-range waveform are then combined into a single lidar point, for example, as above in relation to Fig.4 discussed, at 350. The individual lidar point is combined into a lidar point cloud at 360, for use in controlling the vehicle 10. After that, the procedure can end at 370.

Claims

[1] Method (300) for steering a vehicle (10), the method comprising: Receiving (320), by a controller (34), of first return data acquired by a first detector (D1) of a lidar device (40a) as a result of a first laser pulse or chirp; Receiving (340), by the control (34), of second return data, which are detected by a second detector (D2) of the lidar device (40a) as a result of a second laser pulse or chirp; Combine (350), by control (34), the first return data and the second return data to form a point cloud (360); and Control of the vehicle (10) by the control unit (34) based on the point cloud; wherein the first detector (D1) of the lidar device (40a) and the second detector (D2) of the lidar device (40a) are arranged side by side on the lidar device (40a); wherein the first detector (D1) of the lidar device (40a) and the second detector (D2) of the lidar device (40a) are spaced apart from each other on the lidar device (40a) based on a sampling rate; and wherein the first detector (D1) is configured to have a first sensitivity, wherein the second detector (D2) is configured to have a second sensitivity, the first sensitivity being greater than the second sensitivity. [2] Method according to claim 1, further comprising: Initiating, by a control (34) on board the vehicle (10), the first laser pulse of the chirp from the lidar device (40a) based on an initial power; Initiating, by means of the control (34), of the second laser pulse from the lidar device (40a) based on a second power; and wherein the first power is greater than the second power, wherein the first return data is a result of the first laser pulse or chirp, and wherein the second return data is a result of the second laser pulse or chirp. [3] Method according to claim 1, wherein combining the first return data and the second return data comprises combining the first return data and the second return data and determining a distance measurement based on the combination. [4] Method according to claim 1, wherein the first laser pulse or chirp is the same laser pulse or chirp as the second laser pulse or chirp. [5] Method according to claim 1, wherein the first return data and the second return data are assigned to the same object. [6] Method according to claim 1, wherein the first return data comprise a first point measurement, and wherein the second return data comprise a second point measurement. [7] System (100) for controlling a vehicle (10), comprising: a first lidar device (40a); and a controller (34) configured to receive, by means of a processor, first return data acquired by a first detector (D1) of a lidar device (40a) as a result of a first laser pulse or chirp, second return data acquired by a second detector (D2) of the lidar device (40a) as a result of a second laser pulse or chirp, the first return data and the second return data to form a point cloud, and the vehicle to be controlled on the basis of the point cloud; wherein the first detector (D1) and the second detector (D2) of the lidar device (40a) are arranged side by side on the lidar device (40a); wherein the first detector (D1) of the lidar device (40a) and the second detector (D2) of the lidar device (40a) are spaced apart from each other on the lidar device (40a) based on a sampling rate; and wherein the first detector (D1) is configured to have a first sensitivity, wherein the second detector (D2) is configured to have a second sensitivity, the first sensitivity being greater than the second sensitivity.

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