Pointing your phone at a fancy car might brick the camera instantly. A clip from @Rainmaker1973 reveals that the Volvo EX90 packs a roof-mounted LiDAR unit capable of wrecking mobile sensors. That laser setup helps the vehicle spot hazards for emergency braking or cruise control, yet it absolutely destroys camera hardware if you film it directly.
The footage displays a screen freaking out with purple streaks and star-like artifacts trailing the beam. These detection units blast infrared pulses around 1,550 nanometers, which generate heat that sensitive CMOS chips cannot handle. Mobile lenses aren't built to absorb concentrated energy meant to bounce off obstacles hundreds of meters away.
Human eyes remain safe because corneas block those specific wavelengths, and regulators certify the lasers as Class 1. Electronics lack that biological protection and suffer from permanent dead pixels or total failure. Unless someone wants to sacrifice a burner device for science, keeping the main handset tucked away seems like the smart play.
The footage displays a screen freaking out with purple streaks and star-like artifacts trailing the beam. These detection units blast infrared pulses around 1,550 nanometers, which generate heat that sensitive CMOS chips cannot handle. Mobile lenses aren't built to absorb concentrated energy meant to bounce off obstacles hundreds of meters away.
Human eyes remain safe because corneas block those specific wavelengths, and regulators certify the lasers as Class 1. Electronics lack that biological protection and suffer from permanent dead pixels or total failure. Unless someone wants to sacrifice a burner device for science, keeping the main handset tucked away seems like the smart play.
