History
Velodyne's expertise with laser distance measurement started by participating in the 2005 Grand Challenge
sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). A race for autonomous vehicles across the
Mojave desert, DARPA's goal was to stimulate autonomous vehicle technology development for both military and
commercial applications. Velodyne founders Dave and Bruce Hall entered the competition as Team DAD (Digital Audio
Drive), traveling 6.2 miles in the first event and 25 miles in the second. The team developed technology for
visualizing the environment, first using a dual video camera approach and later developing the laser-based system
that laid the foundation for Velodyne's current products. The first Velodyne LIDAR scanner was about 30 inches in
diameter and weighed close to 100 lbs. Choosing to commercialize the LIDAR scanner instead of competing in subsequent
challenge events, Velodyne was able to dramatically reduce the sensor's size and weight while also improving
performance. Velodyne's HDL-64E sensor was the primary means of terrain map construction and obstacle detection for all the top DARPA Urban Challenge teams.
Vision
Velodyne's ultimate vision for its LIDAR technology is simple: to save lives. We see the day where this sensor
technology is deployed on every vehicle in the world. While traditional LIDAR sensors have relied on fixed
electronics and rotating mirrors to deliver a 3-D terrain map, the rotation of an entire array of multiple fixed
lasers has proven to be a quantum leap forward in sensing technology. This accomplishment has been termed
a "disruptive event" by car safety research groups, who see the technology as a reason to rethink all that we
know about vehicle sensors and the safety systems they enable.
Until the day when we help eliminate automobile-related casualties, Velodyne plans to market its unique LIDAR
technology wherever sophisticated 3-D environment understanding is required: robotics, map capture, surveying,
autonomous navigation, automotive safety systems, and industrial applications.