
Velodyne’s new lidar sensor generation available for order
The Alpha Prime shows what ten years of development work can achieve. The new sensor is significantly smaller, lighter and at the same time offers a better range and resolution. Velodyne claims that its new flagship lidar delivers an unrivaled combination of field-of-view, range and image clarity. With this feature set, the Alpha Prime is ideally suited for autonomous vehicles, including large trucks.
The sensor covers 360° horizontally and 40° vertically, at a resolution of 0.2° x 0.1° at full frame and a refresh rate between 5 and 20 Hz. It detects so-called 10% targets at distances up to 265 metres, 5% targets still at distances of 150 metres. The manufacturer promises strong performance even in sunlight and highly reflective environments as well as high power efficiency even at maximum operating temperature.
The progress compared to the now discontinued HDL-64E is particularly obvious when it comes to weight (3.5 kg vs 12.7 kg) and power consumption: While the HDL-64E needed about 60 watts, its successor does it with just 22 watts.
As Velodyne announced in a blog post, the Alpha Prime is available with six-to-eight-week lead time.
Related articles:
Velodyne introduces affordable automotive lidar sensor
AEye, Continental jointly develop long-range lidar
Microscanning mirror enhances lidar sensors
Innoviz plans to massively slash costs with 2nd generation of its lidar sensors
