Velodyne launches sub $500 lidar

  • November 18, 2020
  • William Payne

Velodyne has launched solid state lidar that it aims to manufacture at volume with a target price of less than $500. The Velarray H800 is designed for automotive grade performance in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicles. Velodyne hopes that the solid state device will drive broad adoption in consumer and commercial vehicle markets.

The new lidar has a field of view of 120 horizontal degrees by 16 vertical degrees. The Velarray H800 provides perception data at a range of up to 200 metres, and can support safe stopping distances even at highway speeds. With a configurable frame rate, the Velarray H800 provides the point cloud density required for high resolution mapping and object classification tasks.

The Velarray H800 is Velodyne’s first new sensor to be launched since the company went public on September 30, 2020. The sensor is designed to kick start the next generation of the company’s solid state lidar portfolio.

“Velodyne’s launch of the Velarray H800 lidar sensor, which is the first in a family of solid state lidars we will be releasing publicly, is important to automakers for three reasons,” said Anand Gopalan, Velodyne Lidar CEO. “First, the Velarray H800 was specifically designed for high volume automotive applications with feedback from leading OEM customers. It uses Velodyne’s global network of high-quality manufacturing partnerships that provide the high quantity automakers need. Second, Velodyne’s proprietary technology and experience, combined with our manufacturing capacity, allow us to offer the sensor at a price that makes economic sense for automakers. Third, the world needs enhanced safety in consumer vehicles and the Velarray product line makes that available to end consumers creating safer roadways and cars for all.”

“We want to help build the public’s trust in automated vehicle systems,” Marta Hall, Velodyne founder and CMO, commented. “We believe the Velarray H800 is the first of many lidar sensors that will be used in systems for powerful vehicle safety. Velodyne is introducing it as a key sensor for systems designed as building blocks for vehicle safety. Once the public experiences the benefits of reliable automated safety systems, they will welcome more products like this. We can save lives with ADAS.”

“During meetings with investors over the past several months, I have received many questions about Velodyne’s solid state roadmap,” said Gopalan. “The fact is that Velodyne has offered solid state lidar sensors for more than two years, but we’ve used the term ‘directional’ sensors to describe Velodyne’s solid state lidar technology. With the introduction of the Velarray H800, we saw the opportunity to demonstrate how Velodyne’s lidar technology prowess spans many form factors and applications. Velodyne wants to improve roadway safety by making all vehicles smarter. That’s why we are working so hard to provide ADAS technology that can be implemented in the marketplace now. You will soon see more of our sensors and software product releases, offering building blocks of vehicle safety for the public.”