Sensor assembly with lidar for autonomous vehicles

A sensor assembly for an autonomous vehicle, comprising:

• a bracket configured to couple to the autonomous vehicle;
• an arm having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis connecting the first end and the second end, wherein the bracket is coupled to the first end;
• a housing coupled to the second end, the housing having a forward facing side, a rear facing side, and a longitudinal axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the arm;
• a first lidar coupled directly to, and below, the housing such that the first lidar is entirely vertically below the arm;
• and
• a second lidar coupled to the forward facing side of the housing such that the second lidar is a forward facing lidar having a center of a field of view of the second lidar forward of the autonomous vehicle,
• wherein the first lidar is a rotating lidar configured to detect objects within a radius of 50 m, and
• wherein the second lidar has a viewing angle about the longitudinal axis of the housing of at least 90 degrees.