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Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation and Consolidation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) regarding annual financial reporting. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make judgments, estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, equity, revenues and expenses, and related disclosures. The significant estimates made by management include inventory reserves, valuation allowance for deferred tax assets, valuation of warrants, forecasted costs associated with non-recurring engineering (“NRE”) services, product warranty reserves, stock-based compensation expense and other loss contingencies. Management periodically evaluates such estimates and they are adjusted prospectively based upon such periodic evaluation. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Segment Information
The Company has determined its operating segments using the same indicators which are used to evaluate its performance internally. The Company has two business activities which are its operating segments:
(i) “Autonomy Solutions” for automotive applications, which includes manufacturing and distribution of lidar sensors that measure distance using laser light to generate a 3D map, non-recurring engineering services related to the Company’s lidar products, and development of software products that enable autonomy capabilities; and
(ii) “Components” which includes development of application-specific integrated circuits, pixel-based sensors, as well as designing, testing and providing consulting services for non-standard integrated circuits. In August 2021, the Company acquired OptoGration, Inc. (“OptoGration”), which has been included in the Components segment.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk, consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, marketable investments and accounts receivable. A significant portion of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents is held at high-quality domestic financial institutions. Deposits held with the financial institutions may, at
times, exceed the amount of insurance provided on such deposits. The Company held cash by foreign entities as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 was not material.
The Company’s revenue is derived from customers located in the United States and international markets. Two customers accounted for 39% and 31%, respectively, of the Company’s accounts receivable as of December 31, 2021. One customer accounted for 86% of the Company’s accounts receivable as of December 31, 2020.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company’s cash and cash equivalents consist of investments with maturities of three months or less at the time of purchase. The Company’s cash equivalents include investments in money market funds, U.S. treasury securities and commercial paper.
Restricted Cash
Restricted cash consists of funds that are contractually restricted as to usage or withdrawal due to legal agreements. The Company determines current or non-current classification of restricted cash based on the expected duration of the restriction.
Debt Securities
The Company’s debt securities consist of U.S agency securities and government sponsored securities, U.S. treasury securities, corporate bonds, commercial paper and asset-backed securities. The Company classifies its debt securities as available-for-sale at the time of purchase and reevaluates such designation as of each balance sheet date. The Company considers all debt securities as available for use to support current operations, including those with maturity dates beyond one year and are classified as current assets under marketable securities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Debt securities included in marketable securities on the consolidated balance sheets consist of securities with original maturities greater than three months at the time of purchase. Debt securities are carried at fair value, with the unrealized gains and losses reported as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (“OCI”). Any realized gains or losses on the sale of debt securities are determined on a specific identification method, and such gains and losses are reflected as a component of other income (expense), net.
The Company reviews the fair value of debt securities and when the fair value of a debt security is below its amortized cost, the amortized cost should be written down to its fair value if (i) it is more likely than not that management will be required to sell the impaired security before recovery of its amortized basis; or (ii) management has the intention to sell the security. If neither of these conditions are met, the Company must determine whether the impairment is due to credit losses. To determine the amount of credit losses, the Company compares the present value of the expected cash flows of the security, derived by taking into account the issuer’s credit ratings and remaining payment terms, with its amortized cost basis. The amount of impairment recognized is limited to the excess of the amortized cost over the fair value of the security. An allowance for credit losses for the excess of amortized cost over the expected cash flows is recorded in other income (expense), net on the consolidated statements of operations. Non-credit related impairment losses are recorded in OCI.
Marketable Equity Investments
The Company holds marketable equity investments over which the Company does not have a controlling interest or significant influence. Marketable equity investments are measured using the quoted prices in active markets with changes recorded in other income (expense), net on the consolidated statement of operations.
Non-Marketable Equity Investments Measured Using the Measurement Alternative
The Company holds a non-marketable equity investment in a privately held company in which the Company does not own a controlling interest or have significant influence. The investment does not have a readily determinable fair value and the Company has elected the measurement alternative, and consequently, measures the investment at cost less any impairment, adjusted to fair value, if there are observable price changes for an identical or similar investment of the same issuer.
Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivables are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. The Company reviews the need for an allowance for doubtful accounts quarterly based on historical experience with each customer and the specifics of each customer arrangement. The Company did not have material write-offs in any period presented, and as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 did not record an allowance for doubtful accounts.
Inventory
The Company values inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value. The Company determines the cost of inventory using the standard-cost method, which approximates actual costs based on a first-in, first-out method. The Company assesses inventory of slow-moving products for potential impairment, and records write-downs of inventory to cost of sales.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization, and are depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets as follows:
Asset CategoryEstimated useful lives
Machinery and equipment
5 to 7 years
Tooling
1 to 3 years
Computer hardware and software
3 to 5 years
Demonstration fleet and demonstration units
2 to 5 years
Leasehold improvementsShorter of useful life or lease term
Vehicles5 years
Furniture and fixtures7 years
Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred, and improvements and betterments are capitalized. When assets are retired or otherwise disposed of, the cost and accumulated depreciation and amortization are removed from the consolidated balance sheet and any resulting gain or loss is reflected in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss in the period realized.
Intangible Assets
Intangible assets, consisting of acquired developed technology, customer relationships and tradename are carried at cost less accumulated amortization. All intangible assets have been determined to have definite lives and are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated remaining economic lives, ranging from one to ten years. Amortization expense related to developed technology is included in cost of sales. Amortization expense related to customer relationships is included in sales and marketing expense. Amortization expense related to tradename is included in general and administrative expense. Intangible assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate an asset’s carrying value may not be recoverable. There was no impairment of intangible assets experienced during the year ended December 31, 2021 or 2020.
Goodwill
The Company records goodwill when the consideration paid in a business combination exceeds the fair value of the net tangible assets and the identified intangible assets acquired. Goodwill is not amortized, but instead is required to be tested for impairment annually and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of goodwill may exceed its fair value.
The Company reviews goodwill for impairment annually in its fourth quarter by initially considering qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, including goodwill, as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform a quantitative analysis. If it is determined that it is more likely than not that the fair value of reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, a quantitative analysis is performed to identify goodwill impairment. There was no impairment of goodwill experienced during the year ended December 31, 2021 or 2020.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
The Company reviews long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. When such an event occurs, management determines whether there has been impairment by comparing the anticipated undiscounted future net cash flows to the related asset group’s carrying value. If an asset is considered impaired, the asset is written down to fair value, which is determined based either on discounted cash flows or appraised value, depending on the nature of the asset. There was no impairment experienced of long-lived assets during the years ended December 31, 2021 or 2020.
Convertible Senior Notes
Effective January 1, 2021, the Company early adopted ASU 2020-06 as of January 1, 2021. As a result, the Company’s convertible senior notes issued in December 2021 are accounted for as a single liability instrument measured at its amortized cost, as no other embedded features require bifurcation and recognition as derivatives.
Product Warranties
Estimated future warranty costs are accrued and charged to cost of sales in the period that the related revenue is recognized. These estimates are based on historical warranty experience and any known or expected changes in warranty exposure, such as trends of product reliability and costs of repairing and replacing defective products. The Company periodically assesses the adequacy of its recorded warranty liabilities and adjusts the amounts as necessary.
Public and Private Warrants
As part of Gores’ initial public offering on February 5, 2019, Gores issued to third party investors 40.0 million units, consisting of one share of Class A common stock of Gores and one-third of one warrant, at a price of $10.00 per unit. Each whole warrant entitled the holder to purchase one share of Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share (the “Public Warrants”). Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, Gores completed the private sale of 6.667 million warrants to Gore’s sponsor at a purchase price of $1.50 per warrant (the “Private Warrants”). Each Private Warrant allows the sponsor to purchase one share of Class A common stock at $11.50 per share. Subsequent to the Business Combination, 13,333,309 Public Warrants and 6,666,666 Private Warrants remained outstanding as of December 31, 2020.
The Private Warrants and the shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Private Warrants were not transferable, assignable or salable until after the completion of a Business Combination, subject to certain limited exceptions. Additionally, the Private Warrants are exercisable for cash or on a cashless basis, at the holder’s option, and are non-redeemable so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees. If the Private Warrants are held by someone other than the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees, said Private Warrants will be redeemable by the Company and exercisable by such holders on the same basis as the Public Warrants.
In the first quarter of 2021, 3,589,645 Private Warrants and 13,128,671 Public Warrants were exercised, and the Company received $153.9 million in cash proceeds from the exercise of these warrants. Pursuant to the terms of the agreements governing the rights of the holders of the Public Warrants, the Company redeemed the remaining unexercised and outstanding 204,638 Public Warrants for a redemption price of $0.01 per Public Warrant.
The Company had 3,077,021 Private Warrants and 0 Public Warrants, outstanding as of December 31, 2021 and such Private Warrants are set to expire on December 2, 2025.
The exercise of the Private Warrants may be settled in cash upon the occurrence of a tender offer or exchange that involves 50% or more of the Company’s Class A stockholders. Public Warrants contained the same feature. Since not all of the Company’s stockholders need to participate in such tender offer or exchange to trigger the potential cash settlement and the Company does not control the occurrence of such an event, the Company concluded that the Public Warrants and Private Warrants do not meet the conditions to be classified in equity. Consequently, the Company concluded that the Public and Private Warrants do not meet the criteria to be classified in stockholders’ equity per the guidance in ASC 815-40, Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity. Since the Public and Private Warrants meet the definition of a derivative under ASC 815, the Company recorded these warrants as liabilities on the balance sheet at fair value upon the closing of the Business Combination, with subsequent changes in their respective fair values recognized in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss at each reporting date.
Revenue Recognition
Under ASC 606, the Company determines revenue recognition through the following steps:
Identifying the contract, or contracts, with the customer; 
Identifying the performance obligations in the contract;
Determining the transaction price;
Allocating the transaction price to performance obligations in the contract; and
Recognizing revenue when, or as, the Company satisfies performance obligations by transferring the promised goods or services.
Nature of Products and Services and Revenue Recognition
Autonomy Solutions segment revenue primarily comes from product sales of lidar sensors to customers and distributors and NRE services to integrate Luminar lidar hardware for autonomy in vehicle platforms. Revenue from product sales is recognized at a point in time when control of the goods is transferred to the customer, generally occurring upon shipment or delivery dependent upon the terms of the underlying contract.
Components segment revenue primarily comes from the development and production of specialized wafers, dies, and avalanche photodiodes and NRE services related to design of custom products. Revenue from product sales is recognized at a point in time when control of the goods is transferred. Certain customer arrangements involve NRE services to develop and delivery of prototype products to customers. Revenue from these sales arrangements is categorized as product revenue and recognized over time as the product is being developed. Revenue from time and material based NRE service arrangements is recognized over time.
For NRE services that require engineering and development based on customer requirements, the Company recognizes revenue over time using an input method based on contract cost incurred to date compared to total estimated contract costs (cost-to-cost). Amounts billed to customers for shipping and handling are included in revenue. The Company’s arrangements for sale of hardware are typically recognized at the time of transfer of control of the underlying hardware. The obligations associated with any performance obligation to update the Company’s software have been immaterial. Taxes collected from customers and remitted to governmental authorities are excluded from revenue on the net basis of accounting.
For NRE service projects, the Company contracts with customers based on hourly rates or on a fixed fee basis. For arrangements based on hourly rates, revenue is recognized as services are performed and amounts are earned in accordance with the terms of a contract at estimated collectible amounts. For arrangements based on a fixed fee, revenue is recognized based on the progress or the percentage of completion of the NRE service project. Expenses associated with performance of work may be reimbursed with a markup depending on contractual terms and are included in revenues. Reimbursements include billings for travel and other out-of-pocket expenses and third-party costs, such as equipment rentals, materials and subcontractor costs, which are included in cost of sales in the accompanying combined statement of operations.
Arrangements with Multiple Performance Obligations
When a contract involves multiple performance obligations, the Company accounts for individual products and services separately if the customer can benefit from the product or service on its own or with other resources that are readily available to the customer and the product or service is separately identifiable from other promises in the arrangement. The consideration is allocated between separate performance obligations in proportion to their estimated standalone selling price. The transactions to which the Company had to estimate standalone selling prices and allocate the arrangement consideration to multiple performance obligations were immaterial.
The Company provides standard product warranties for a term of typically one year to ensure that its products comply with agreed-upon specifications. Standard warranties are considered to be assurance type warranties and are not accounted for as separate performance obligations. See Product Warranties for accounting policy on standard warranties.
Other Policies, Judgments and Practical Expedients
Contract balances.  Contract assets and liabilities represent the differences in the timing of revenue recognition from the receipt of cash from the Company’s customers and billings. Contract assets reflect revenue recognized and performance obligations satisfied in advance of customer billing. Contract liabilities relates to payments received in advance of the satisfaction of performance under the contract. Receivable represents right to consideration that is unconditional. Such rights are considered unconditional if only the passage of time is required before payment of that consideration is due.
Remaining performance obligations.  Revenue allocated to remaining performance obligations represents the transaction price allocated to the performance obligations that are unsatisfied, or partially unsatisfied. It includes unearned revenue and amounts that will be invoiced and recognized as revenue in future periods and does not include contracts where the customer is not committed. The customer is not considered committed where they are able to terminate for convenience without payment of a substantive penalty under the contract. The Company has elected the optional exemption, which allows for the exclusion of the amounts for remaining performance obligations that are part of contracts with an original expected duration of one year or less.
Significant financing component. In certain arrangements, the Company receives payment from a customer either before or after the performance obligation has been satisfied. Typically, the expected timing difference between the payment and satisfaction of performance obligations is one year or less; therefore, the Company applies a practical expedient and does not
consider the effects of the time value of money. The Company’s contracts with customer prepayment terms do not include a significant financing component because the primary purpose is not to receive or provide financing from or to the customers.
Contract modifications. The Company may modify contracts to offer customers additional products or services. Each of the additional products and services are generally considered distinct from those products or services transferred to the customer before the modification. The Company evaluates whether the contract price for the additional products and services reflects the standalone selling price as adjusted for facts and circumstances applicable to that contract. In these cases, the Company accounts for the additional products or services as a separate contract. In other cases where the pricing in the modification does not reflect the standalone selling price as adjusted for facts and circumstances applicable to that contract, the Company accounts on a prospective basis where the remaining goods and services are distinct from the original items and on a cumulative catch-up basis when the remaining goods and services are not distinct from the original items.
Judgments and estimates. Accounting for contracts recognized over time involves the use of various techniques to estimate total contract revenue and costs. Due to uncertainties inherent in the estimation process, it is possible that estimates of costs to complete a performance obligation will be revised in the near-term. The Company reviews and updates its contract-related estimates regularly, and records adjustments as needed. For those performance obligations for which revenue is recognized using a cost-to-cost input method, changes in total estimated costs, and related progress towards complete satisfaction of the performance obligation, are recognized on a cumulative catch-up basis in the period in which the revisions to the estimates are made.
Cost of Sales
The Company includes all manufacturing and sourcing costs incurred prior to the receipt of finished goods at its distribution facility in cost of sales. The cost of sales principally includes personnel-related costs (including certain engineering personnel), including stock-based compensation, directly associated with the Company’s manufacturing organization, direct costs, product costs, purchasing costs, allocation of overhead costs associated with manufacturing operations, inbound freight charges, insurance, inventory write-downs, warranty cost and depreciation and amortization expense associated with the manufacturing and sourcing operations. Cost of sales also includes the direct cost and appropriate allocation of overhead costs involved in execution of service contracts.
Research and Development (R&D)
R&D expenses consist primarily of personnel-related expenses, consulting and contractor expenses, tooling and prototype materials and allocated overhead costs. Substantially all of the Company’s R&D expenses are related to developing new products and services, improving existing products and services, and developing manufacturing processes. R&D expenses are expensed as incurred.
Stock-based Compensation
Employee awards
For equity classified awards, the Company measures the cost of share-based awards granted to employees, non-employees and directors based on the grant-date fair value of the awards. The grant-date fair value of the stock options is calculated using a Black-Scholes option pricing model. The grant-date fair value of restricted stock is calculated based on the fair value of the underlying common stock less cash proceeds paid by the recipient to acquire the restricted stock, if any. The grant-date fair value of restricted stock unit is calculated based on the fair value of the underlying common stock. The fair value of the stock-based compensation is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the award. The Company elected to recognize the effect of forfeitures in the period they occur.
The Company grants fixed value share-based awards to certain employees, wherein the awardee is entitled to a fixed dollar value compensation settled by issuing shares on the vesting date, with the number of shares determined based on the Company’s stock price on or close to the settlement date. These fixed value equity awards are considered as liability classified awards. The Company measures the cost of fixed value share-based awards granted to employees based on a fixed monetary amount that is known at the inception of the obligation. The Company records the compensation cost for the fixed dollar amount of the award over the vesting period, with a corresponding liability.
Stock-based payments to vendors / non-employees
The Company has entered into arrangements with certain vendors and other third parties wherein the Company at its discretion may elect to compensate the respective vendors for services provided in either cash or by issuing shares of the Company’s Class A common stock (“Stock-in-lieu of Cash Program”). Typically, the amounts owed under the Stock-in-lieu of Cash Program are settled by issuing shares, with the number of shares determined based on the Company’s stock price on or
close to the settlement date. Payments owed under this program are considered as liability obligations. The Company measures the cost based on a fixed monetary amount that is known at the inception of the obligation.
Income Taxes
Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method, which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined on the basis of the differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities by using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.
The Company recognizes deferred tax assets to the extent that these assets are more likely than not to be realized. In making such a determination, all available positive and negative evidence are considered, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax-planning strategies, and results of recent operations. If it is determined that deferred tax assets would be realized in the future, in excess of their net recorded amount, an adjustment would be made to the deferred tax asset valuation allowance, which would reduce the provision for income taxes.
The Company records uncertain tax positions in accordance with ASC 740, Income Taxes, on the basis of a two-step process which includes (1) determining whether it is more likely than not that the tax positions will be sustained on the basis of the technical merits of the position, and (2) for those tax positions that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold. Recognized income tax positions are measured at the largest amount of tax benefit that is more than 50% likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement with the related tax authority.
The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits on the income tax expense line in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations. Accrued interest and penalties are included on the related tax liability line in the consolidated balance sheet.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”) subjects a U.S. shareholder to tax on global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) earned by certain foreign subsidiaries. Under GAAP, the Company can make an accounting policy election to either treat taxes due on the GILTI inclusion as a current period expense or factor such amounts into the Company’s measurement of deferred taxes. The Company elected to treat the GILTI inclusion as a period expense.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) and issued subsequent amendments to the initial guidance in 2017, 2018 and 2019 (collectively “ASC 842”). Under the new guidance, a lessee is required to recognize assets and liabilities for both finance, previously known as capital, and operating leases with lease terms of more than 12 months. The ASU also requires disclosures to help investors and other financial statement users better understand the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. In transition, the Company recognized and measured leases at the beginning of the period of adoption, January 1, 2021, using a modified retrospective approach that included a number of optional practical expedients that the Company elected to apply. See Note 15 for disclosure on the impact of adopting this standard.
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”), which requires measurement and recognition of expected credit losses for financial assets held at amortized cost, including trade receivables. ASU 2016-13 replaces the existing incurred loss impairment model with an expected loss model that requires the forward-looking information to calculate credit loss estimates. It also eliminates the concept of other-than-temporary impairment and requires credit losses related to available-for-sale debt securities to be recorded through an allowance for credit losses rather than as a reduction in the amortized cost basis of the securities. These changes will result in more timely recognition of credit losses. The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 using the modified retrospective method on January 1, 2021. The adoption of ASU 2016-13 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position, operating results or cash flows.
In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (“ASU 2019-12”), which amends its guidance to simplify the accounting for income taxes by, among other things, removing exceptions to certain general principles in Topic 740, Income Taxes. The Company adopted ASU 2019-12 on January 1, 2021. The adoption of ASU 2019-12 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position, operating results or cash flows.
In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, Debt — Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging — Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40) (“ASU 2020-06”) to simplify accounting for certain financial instruments. ASU 2020-06 simplifies the accounting for convertible instruments by removing the separation models for (1) convertible debt with a cash conversion feature and (2) convertible instruments with a beneficial conversion feature. The Company elected to early adopt ASU 2020-06 as of January 1, 2021. The adoption of ASU 2020-06 resulted in the convertible senior notes issued in December 2021 to be recorded as a single liability instrument. ASU 2020-06 amends the diluted earnings per share guidance, including the requirement to use the if-converted method for all convertible instruments.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Effective
In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-08, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2021-08”). The new guidance in this update affects all entities that enter into a business combination within the scope of ASC 805-10. ASU 2021-08 will be effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2023. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating the effects of this pronouncement on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and does not expect it to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.