Boston-based Teradar is showcasing its first flagship terahertz sensor at the Consumer Electronics Show 2026 this week. This debut comes just two months after the company emerged from stealth with a $150 million fundraise. The sensor, named Summit, is positioned as the first long-range, high-resolution sensor of its kind designed for high performance in any type of weather. Teradar states this fills a critical gap left by legacy radar and lidar sensors.
The sensor is expected to begin shipping in 2028, provided Teradar can secure contracts with automakers. The company believes the Summit will then help enable those manufacturers to add partial or full autonomy features to their vehicles.
Teradar’s approach centers on leveraging the terahertz band of the electromagnetic spectrum, which lies between microwaves and infrared and is relatively unused. The Summit is a solid-state sensor with no moving parts. This design aims to combine the best qualities of lidar and radar sensors while avoiding their drawbacks.
This proposition could be attractive for automakers concerned with the high cost of lidar or the limitations of radar. Teradar reports it is already working to prove its technology with five top automakers from the U.S. and Europe, as well as three Tier 1 suppliers.
Teradar’s impending market entry arrives at a pivotal moment for automotive sensor suppliers. Leading U.S. lidar company Luminar filed for bankruptcy protection in December after contracts with Volvo and Mercedes-Benz fell apart, as those automakers backed away from the technology. Luminar cited those deals crumbling partly due to low-cost competition from China. Lidar adoption has been strong in China’s auto market, with Chinese lidar company Hesai reporting it had built over 1 million lidar sensors in 2025 alone. Other U.S. companies in the sector, like Ouster, which merged with rival Velodyne, have diversified into markets like robotics and smart infrastructure.
Teradar is looking beyond the automotive industry. This broader vision was reflected in its recent $150 million Series B round, which included funding from Lockheed Martin’s venture arm and VXI Capital, a new defense-focused fund led by the former CTO of the U.S. military’s Defense Innovation Unit.
Lidar is not completely dead in the auto industry, however. Rivian stated in December it would integrate a roof-mounted lidar sensor from an unnamed supplier in its upcoming R2 SUV, signaling a continued appetite for advanced sensor technology to bring autonomy to passenger vehicles, especially if affordable.
Teradar CEO Matt Carey believes his terahertz sensor can meet all those marks and is eager to pounce on the opportunity. He stated that the company’s main job is to ensure its sensor gets on all automobiles, and whatever the best way to do that is, that is what they will pursue.