Velodyne Lidar Open Huge Factory
News

Velodyne Lidar Open Huge Factory

Since releasing the $8k VLP-16 puck lidar, Velodyne Lidar has adapted the sensor for autonomous vehiclesUAVs, and hi-res jobs. It has also gone big on SLAM, landed $150 million in funding from Ford and Baidu, and announced a $50 solid-state lidar chip that could bring down the cost of every lidar sensor in the portfolio.

Moves like these require changes behind the scenes. Why? Solid-state lidar, which is integrated onto a microchip, requires specialized facilities to produce. On top of that, auto manufacturers buy sensors at a much larger scale than geospatial customers—in the millions rather than the low thousands. This means Velodyne had to make a big manufacturing change.

They have now announced the opening of a new mega factory in San Jose, California, for high-volume production. According to the company, the factory is already manufacturing the HDL-64 lidar sensor popular with autonomous vehicle researchers and ramping up production for the rest of the sensor portfolio.

By 2018 the factory is expected to put out over a million sensors a year. This volume should meet the demand for the company’s autonomous vehicle sensors.

Velodyne has also opened a new research and development facility in Alameda, California called Velodyne Labs. This facility will develop the next-generation lidar sensors for the company, including a number of solutions built around the company’s new solid-state chip.

With the new mega factory and R&D facility, Velodyne is positioned to make good on its promise to use solid-state technology as “a path to lower prices for all lidar products,” and maybe even produce a solid-state puck.

Geomatics Newsletter

Value staying current with geomatics?

Stay on the map with our expertly curated newsletters.

We provide educational insights, industry updates, and inspiring stories to help you learn, grow, and reach your full potential in your field. Don't miss out - subscribe today and ensure you're always informed, educated, and inspired.

Choose your newsletter(s)

News