Hesai, whose competitors include U.S.-based Luminar, announced on Monday an “exclusive multi-year” contract to supply its lidar products to a European automaker it described only as leading but did not name. read more Mercedes-Benz will develop smart driving cars for global markets equipped with Hesai’s lidar sensors, a person with direct knowledge said, the first time a foreign automaker has sought to use such Chinese-made technology for models sold outside China. It coincides with an increase in trade tensions as the U.S. intensifies efforts to restrict the adoption of Chinese components and software solutions in vehicles developed by global automakers….