Velodyne Ramps Up Lidar Output at California Megafactory

Velodyne Lidar Inc. says its new “megafactory” in San Jose, Calif., will produce more than one million solid-state lidar (light detection and ranging) units per year by 2018.

Velodyne recently launched output of its HDL-64 lidar sensor at the facility. The company plans to add production of other lidar sensors in coming months to meet increasing global demand for the technology, which is used in self-driving vehicles. The facility also will be used to align the distance and range capabilities of the sensors.

Velodyne, which was founded in 2003, recently opened a research and development facility in Alameda, Calif. Last year, Ford Motor Co. and Chinese internet giant Baidu Inc. each invested $75 million in the company.

Velodyne says it is working on more than two dozen autonomous vehicle projects and expects annual industry sales of lidar sensors will top 200 million units in coming years. The company has supplied sensors to Ford test vehicles for about 10 years.