The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Light detection and ranging (lidar) is a technology that can be used to measure distances to remote targets. Typically, a lidar system includes a light source and an optical receiver. The light source can be, for example, a laser which emits light having a particular operating wavelength. The operating wavelength of a lidar system may lie, for example, in the infrared, visible, or ultraviolet portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The light source emits light toward a target which then scatters the light. Some of the scattered light is received back at the receiver. The system determines the distance to the target based on one or more characteristics associated with the returned light. For example, the system may determine the distance to the target based on the time of flight of a returned light pulse.
Currently, lidar systems may experience difficulties detecting targets during rainy or foggy conditions. Such conditions may lead to false positive detection of targets due to light scattering off the fog or rain droplets. Additionally, during foggy, snowy, or rainy conditions, the lidar systems may fail to detect targets located behind the rain, sleet, snow, or fog due to attenuation or distortion from the light scattering off the rain, sleet, snow, or fog before reaching the targets.