Velodyne Lidar’s Smart, Powerful Sensors Enable New Postmates Autonomous Delivery RoverDecember 13, 2018|In Press Releases|By Albie Jarvis
On-demand delivery solution utilizes lidar that provides 360-degree visibility of surroundings
Velodyne Lidar, Inc. today announced Postmates has included Velodyne’s intelligent, versatile lidar technology in its innovative self-driving rovers for short-distance deliveries, Postmates Serve. Equipped with Velodyne’s compact, powerful lidar sensor, Serve combines autonomy and emission-free robotics for efficient, sustainable movement of goods in cities.
Serve’s elegant architecture includes Velodyne’s market-leading VLP-16 Puck™ sensor, which has been seamlessly designed into the rover. The VLP-16 Puck™ is strategically built into the top of the rover for a high-performance surround view, enabling Serve to detect people and objects as it completes local deliveries.
“At Postmates, we’ve spent the last couple of years researching and ultimately developing a rover that we feel works the best for on-demand delivery. When we set out to build Serve, we wanted a mature lidar sensor that we could trust, one that’s reliable and proven in the industry,” said Ali Kashani, head of Postmates R&D. “Velodyne is a great collaborator and the company’s manufacturing capacity can support the growth of this program.”
Serve enhances the company’s existing fleet, which is currently completing over four million deliveries monthly, allowing for increased capacity and efficiency. Velodyne sensors provide the high-resolution, real-time surround view data required for Serve to safely navigate local delivery routes.
“With the Serve rover, Postmates has created a groundbreaking mobility solution that will transform how we move goods and make it easier for merchants to connect with their local communities,” said Mike Jellen, President and CCO, Velodyne Lidar. “Postmates provides a leading example of how companies are using the power of Velodyne lidar to fulfill the creativity of innovators, changing the world with autonomous products and services.”
About Velodyne Lidar
Velodyne provides the smartest, most powerful lidar solutions for autonomy and driver assistance. Founded in 1983 and headquartered in San Jose, Calif., Velodyne is known worldwide for its portfolio of breakthrough lidar sensor technologies. In 2005, Velodyne’s Founder and CEO, David Hall, invented real-time surround view lidar systems, revolutionizing perception and autonomy in a variety of industries including automotive, new mobility, mapping, robotics, and security. Velodyne’s established high-performance product line includes the cost-effective VLP-16 Puck™, the versatile VLP-32 Ultra-Puck™, the perfect for L4-L5 autonomy VLS-128™, and the directional view Velarray™.
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Contact:
David Cumpston
Landis Communications for Velodyne Lidar, Inc.
(415) 902-4461 velodyne@landispr.com