Lasers & Sources

Velodyne announces a solid-state lidar

April 20, 2017

The Velodyne package measures 125 mm by 50 mm by 55 mm—small enough to be embedded into the front, sides, and corners of vehicles.

Conard Holton

Velodyne today announced a solid-state automotive lidar ranging system that the company will demonstrate in a few months, release in test kits later this year, and mass produce at its new megafactory in San Jose, Calif., in 2018. The estimated price per unit is in the hundreds of dollars.

The company hopes to nail down the dominance it has enjoyed ever since pioneering automotive lidar a dozen years ago.

The Velodyne package measures 125 mm by 50 mm by 55 mm (about 5 by 2 by 2 inches)—small enough to be embedded into the front, sides, and corners of vehicles. Such a setup can give theater-in-the-round coverage even though each device covers only 120 degrees horizontally. They also span 35 degrees vertically, which comes in handy when climbing hills.

The Laser Focus World take:

Ferment in the lidar market continues and we've reported on it at length. Earlier this week lidar startup Luminar entered the autonomous vehicle market after five years in stealth mode.

For more on the technologies, designs, and players, read our coverage in this article by senior editor Gail Overton: Lidar nears ubiquity as miniature systems proliferate

Conard Holton | Editor at Large

Conard Holton has 25 years of science and technology editing and writing experience. He was formerly a staff member and consultant for government agencies such as the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the International Atomic Energy Agency, and engineering companies such as Bechtel. He joined Laser Focus World in 1997 as senior editor, becoming editor in chief of WDM Solutions, which he founded in 1999. In 2003 he joined Vision Systems Design as editor in chief, while continuing as contributing editor at Laser Focus World. Conard became editor in chief of Laser Focus World in August 2011, a role in which he served through August 2018. He then served as Editor at Large for Laser Focus World and Co-Chair of the Lasers & Photonics Marketplace Seminar from August 2018 through January 2022. He received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, with additional studies at the Colorado School of Mines and Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.