# SCALA 3 lidar by Valeo

Canonical page: https://technooptimist.io/vehicles/scala-3
Frontier: [Vehicles](https://technooptimist.io/vehicles.md) · Field: Lidar · Company: [Valeo](https://technooptimist.io/companies/valeo.md)
Stage: Deploy (4 of 5: Research → Proto → Pilot → Deploy → Scaling)
Updated: last update 2026-10-07, facts checked 2026-10-11
Goal: Let cars drive themselves on highways at full speed, and robotaxis scale, with a car-grade 3D sensor that spots small, dark objects far ahead in any light. Valeo argues Level 3 driving can only be achieved with lidar.
Status: Valeo says SCALA 3 equips European and Asian models but names none; on show at Paris in October 2026.
Next event: Valeo shows SCALA 3 at the Paris Motor Show, 12 Oct 2026

## Milestones

| Status | Milestone | Date | Slip |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Done | SCALA Gen 1: first mass-produced car lidar | 2017 |   |
| Done | SCALA Gen 2 in first Level 3 cars (Honda Legend, Mercedes S-Class) | 2021 |   |
| Done | Stellantis picks SCALA 3 for multiple models | 14 Jun 2022 |   |
| Done | SCALA 3 orders pass €1 billion, incl. a US robotaxi company | 30 Mar 2023 |   |

## Upcoming events

- **12 Oct 2026**: Valeo shows SCALA 3 at the Paris Motor Show

## Most important updates

- **7 Oct 2026**: Valeo to show SCALA 3 lidar at the 2026 Paris Motor Show. Valeo said it will present SCALA 3 at the Paris Motor Show (12-18 October 2026) for Level 3 and Level 4 driving, alongside its software suite and an 800-volt EV platform. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/valeo-to-show-scala-3-lidar-at-the-2026-paris-motor-show-5f8bf6a6.md) · [original source](https://www.autocarpro.in/news/valeo-to-showcase-ai-software-and-ev-tech-at-paris-show-135090))
- **30 Mar 2023**: Valeo wins two major SCALA 3 contracts, including a US robotaxi company; orders pass €1 billion. Valeo announced SCALA 3 contracts with a leading Asian carmaker and a leading American robotaxi company, taking orders for the sensor above €1 billion. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/valeo-wins-two-major-scala-3-contracts-including-a-us-robotaxi-company-f709e6c7.md) · [original source](https://www.valeo.com/en/valeo-announces-2-new-major-contracts-for-its-third-generation-lidar/))
- **14 Jun 2022**: Stellantis chooses Valeo's SCALA 3 lidar for Level 3 driving in multiple models. Stellantis selected Valeo's third-generation SCALA lidar to equip multiple models across its brands from 2024, so they can be certified for Level 3, hands-off and eyes-off driving under UN regulation R157. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/stellantis-chooses-valeo-s-scala-3-lidar-for-level-3-driving-in-7c79f697.md) · [original source](https://www.valeo.com/en/valeos-third-generation-lidar-chosen-by-stellantis-for-its-level-3-automation-capability/))

## Current obstacles

- **Unnamed production cars**: Valeo says SCALA 3 equips numerous European and Asian models but has not named them, so real volumes are hard to verify.

## Physics limits

- **Eye safety caps laser power**: Lidar must stay eye-safe, which limits pulse energy. Dark objects return only a few photons, so range on them is much shorter than on bright ones (200 vs 300 m here).
- **Weather scatters light**: Rain, fog and spray scatter the laser and create false echoes; software can filter them, but cannot restore range lost in dense fog.

## How it works

### Laser scan: Timing laser echoes

Fires infrared laser pulses and times their echoes to build a 3D point cloud of up to 12.5 million points a second across a 120-degree view.

### Software: Perception on the sensor

Valeo's algorithms classify objects, find lane markings and small debris, detect rain, spray and blockage, and re-calibrate if knocked out of line.

### Upkeep: Heated and self-cleaning

Built-in heating and a cleaning system keep the window clear; the sensor diagnoses a blocked view and triggers cleaning itself.

## Spec sheet

| Spec | SCALA 3 lidar | SCALA Gen 2 | Provenance |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Range, 10% reflectivity | 200 m |   | reported |
| Range, high reflectivity | 300 m |   | reported |
| Points per second | 12.5 million | 16x fewer (SCALA 2) | reported |
| Field of view (H x V) | 120° x 26° |   | reported |
| Angular resolution | 0.05° x 0.05° |   | reported |
| Frame rate | 10-20 fps |   | reported |
| Automated driving speed supported | up to 130 km/h |   | reported |
| Size (W x H x D) | 186 x 46 x 128 mm |   | reported |

Provenance: reported = stated by the company; estimated = our estimate; sample = a sample figure.

## Peer comparison

- [Innoviz Technologies InnovizTwo lidar](https://technooptimist.io/vehicles/innoviztwo.md) (Pilot): Field of view (H x V) 120-125° x 40°; Frame rate 10, 15 or 20 fps

## About Valeo

Valeo is a French car-parts supplier founded in 1923, making driver-assist sensors, lighting, thermal and electric powertrain systems. It was the first company to mass-produce a car lidar, from 2017 at Wemding, Germany.

- Makes SCALA lidar at Wemding, Bavaria, since 2017; reports about 220,000 SCALA units on the road.
- Its lidar equipped the first two cars approved for Level 3: Honda Legend and Mercedes-Benz S-Class (2021).
- Reported over €1 billion of SCALA 3 orders by March 2023, including a US robotaxi company.

- Founded: 1923
- Headquarters: FR
- Status: public
- Listing: FR (Euronext Paris)
- Website: https://www.valeo.com
- People: Christophe Périllat (CEO)
- Partners, customers, investors: Stellantis (customer); Mercedes-Benz (customer)

Company page: https://technooptimist.io/companies/valeo.md

## Related programs

Everything in Vehicles: https://technooptimist.io/vehicles.md

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