Real-Time Sensor to be Incorporated on Bing Maps Vehicles
Morgan Hill, Calif. (October 28, 2014) – Velodyne (www.velodynelidar.com) announced today that its compact, mobile-mapping LiDAR sensor will be used to capture imagery for Bing Maps Streetside experience.
Velodyne’s HDL-32E LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) real-time sensor will be incorporated on Bing Maps vehicles to help locate license plates for blurring and identify street signs. Velodyne is recognized worldwide for developing high-definition LiDAR sensors for 3D mapping and surveying, autonomous vehicle applications and UAV deployments, among others.
“The Bing Streetside experience offers a seamless and dynamic way to experience mapping,” said Wolfgang Walcher, Group Program Manager, Microsoft. “We are excited about our work with Velodyne to continue to deliver a more natural way for Bing Maps users to explore the planet.”
“Microsoft’s approach demonstrates just how powerful an application mobile mapping can be,” said Wolfgang Juchmann, Director of Sales & Marketing, Velodyne LiDAR. “Creating a truly useful 3D model of the environment is a significant undertaking, and Velodyne’s collaboration with Microsoft’s Bing Maps team represents a new benchmark in mobile mapping.”
About Velodyne LiDAR
Founded in 1983 and based in California’s Silicon Valley, Velodyne Acoustics, Inc. is a diversified technology company known worldwide for its high-performance audio equipment and real-time LiDAR sensors. The company’s LiDAR division evolved after founder and inventor David Hall competed in the 2004-05 DARPA Grand Challenge using stereovision technology. Based on his experience during this challenge, Hall recognized the limitations of stereovision and developed the HDL64 high-resolution LiDAR sensor. More recently, Velodyne has released its smaller, lightweight HDL 32E sensor, available for many applications including UAVs. Since 2007, Velodyne’s LiDAR division has emerged as a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of real-time LiDAR sensor technology used in a variety of commercial applications including autonomous vehicles, vehicle safety systems, 3D mobile mapping, 3D aerial mapping and security. For more information, visit www.velodynelidar.com.