Beltronics Vector 945 Owner's Manual - Page 22

Technical Details HOW LASER (LIDAR) WORKS Laser speed detection is actually LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). LIDAR guns project a beam of invisible infrared light. The signal is a series of very short infrared light energy pulses, which move, in a straight line, reflecting off your car and returning to the gun. LIDAR uses these light pulses to measure the distance to a vehicle. Speed is then calculated by measuring how quickly these pulses are reflected given the known speed of light. LIDAR (or laser) is a newer technology and is not as widespread as conventional radar, therefore, you may not encounter laser on a daily basis. And unlike radar detection, laser detection is not prone to false alarms. Because LIDAR transmits a much narrower beam than does radar, it is much more accurate in its ability to distinguish between targets and is also more difficult to detect. AS A RESULT, EVEN THE BRIEFEST LASER ALERT SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. There are limitations to LIDAR equipment. LIDAR is much more sensitive to weather conditions than RADAR, and a LIDAR gun's range will be decreased by anything affecting visibility such as rain, fog, or smoke. A LIDAR gun cannot operate through glass and it must be stationary in order to get an accurate reading. Because LIDAR must have a clear line of sight and is subject to cosine error (an inaccuracy, which increases as the angle between the gun and the vehicle, increases) police typically use LIDAR equipment parallel to the road or from an overpass. LIDAR can be used day or night. 19