The Velabit, introduced at CES 2020, was hailed in the media as a game-changing lidar sensor.

Among the Velabit’s plaudits was being named in the Best of CES 2020 finalists by Engadget which noted “its affordable price means that manufacturers will be able to integrate it into many more car models.”

In a story about car tech innovations launched at CES, Chris Paukert of CNET Roadshow wrote, “Velodyne has just introduced its Velabit lidar at CES, and not only is it tiny — smaller than a deck of playing cards — it shatters the price barrier, costing $100 per sensor.”

Paukert’s colleague Andrew Krok wrote in CNET Roadshow that “something this inexpensive (big lidar sensors can cost thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars each) and helpful will likely find big demand.”

Writing in Forbes, Alan Ohnsman quoted Velodyne Lidar CEO Anand Gopalan discussing Velabit:

“We are coming to a conclusion that the addition of the lidar into the vehicle, maybe two Velabits, will first and foremost enhance the reliability and availability of your basic ADAS functions like automatic emergency braking and lane-keep assist. Even systems available today, using cameras and radar, become more reliable with lidar.”

The “low price point of the Velabit puts it within striking distance of being an alternative to radar in the increasingly common AEB systems now found in millions of vehicles,” wrote David Cardinal in ExtremeTech.

Eric Walz in FutureCar added, “The lower-priced Velabit will help to address the demand for lower cost sensors, while also helping to accelerate the development of autonomous technologies.”

Looking at potential applications, Igor Bonifacic, wrote in Engadget, that Velabit’s “diminutive size — it’s smaller than a deck of cards — also means it has use cases outside of autonomous cars. For instance, Velodyne claims drone manufacturers will be able to integrate the component into their products. Other robots could also benefit from access to the system.”

Writing about Velabit in MotorBiscuit, Matthew Skwarczek agreed, noting “it is indeed quite compact: it’s smaller than a deck of cards. Although the Velabit is small enough to be installed in drones, its size will also be a boon for electric trucks.”

Among the other media that covered the Velabit news included: iHLS, New York Times, Oakland News Now, Tech Mag and The Verge.

To review the complete articles mentioned, please go to:

Engadget: Presenting the Best of CES 2020 finalists!

CNET Roadshow: CES 2020: These car tech innovations will change your life

CNET Roadshow: Velodyne’s tiny Velabit packs a big lidar punch for just $100

Forbes: Lidar Pioneer Velodyne Debuts $100 Auto Safety Sensor As Self-Driving Cars’ Pace To Market Slows