Thelaser-inducedrelativisticshockwavesaredescribed.Theshockwavescanbecreateddirectlybyahighirradiancelaserorindirectlybyalaseraccelerationofafoilthatcollideswithasecondstaticfoil.Aspecialcaseofinterestisthecreationoflaser-inducedfusionwherethecreatedalphaparticlescreateadetonationwave.Anovelapplicationissuggestedwiththeshockwaveorthedetonationwavetoigniteapre-compressedtarget.Inparticular,thedeuterium–tritiumfusionisconsidered.Itissuggestedthatthecollisionoftwolaseracceleratedfoilsmightserveasanovelrelativisticacceleratorforbulkmaterialcollisions.