Velodyne Lidar's Alpha Prime is a next-generation LiDAR sensor using Velodyne’s patented surround view technology. Alpha Prime is designed to allow vehicles to navigate in unfamiliar and dynamic settings. Its capabilities help improve vehicle safety and enable more precise mapping. These include superior field-of-view: the sensor features 360-degree surround view perception and a 40-degree vertical field-of-view. If provides high performance in a wide variety of lighting conditions, including retro reflectors and sunlight mitigation; as well as exceptional detection of dark or low-reflectance objects at long distances, such as tires, dark vehicles, low-reflectivity pavement, and low-visibility pedestrians. 

Alpha Prime also provides advanced negative obstacle perception, such as potholes and cracks in the road. It features high resolution along with reflectivity returns from over 4.8 million points per second. High resolution and laser calibration enable the sensor to localize vehicles—outdoors or indoors—without a GPS, for precise positioning. It provides improved efficiency for extended vehicle operating time within broad temperature and environmental ranges without the need for active cooling and features advanced sensor-to-sensor interference mitigation. Automotive mass-production options are available from multiple sources for qualified programs.

“The Alpha Prime is a significant step forward in enabling the advancement of the autonomous vehicle and robot industries,” said Anand Gopalan, Chief Technology Officer, Velodyne Lidar. “With its breadth of best-in-class features, the Alpha Prime is a marked advancement in sensor performance for real-world conditions. Here at Velodyne, we take pride in listening to our customers and delivering innovative and high-performance products. We believe Velodyne’s versatility and agility extend our leadership status in the LiDAR business to empower autonomous solutions on a global scale.”