Velodyne announced that it has won a patent lawsuit filed by its competitor Quanergy. The US Patent Trial and Appeals Board ruled the validity of Velodyne’s US Patent 7,969,558 on May 23, 2019. According to Velodyne, the patent is related to a LiDAR based 3D point cloud measuring system used for Autonomous Vehicles, ADAS, Robotic vision, and other diverse applications.

“Velodyne Lidar is the inventor of the surround view LiDAR and we were confident that our patent would be upheld,” said Marta Hall, President of Velodyne Lidar. “The ruling was not a surprise because real-time surround view LiDAR was invented by our Founder, David Hall, and the company holds a number of foundational patents relative to this technology. We are an invention-based company and will always be inventing and innovating technologies, so we take protecting our hard-earned intellectual property seriously. In response to the ruling, we’ll be evaluating our enforcement options moving forward.”

(Image: Velodyne Lidar)

LiDAR sensors are viewed as a core component of autonomous vehicles (AVs) and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Initially introduced as a solution for AVs, the LiDAR market is rapidly growing for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems which could reduce forward-facing driving accidents, biking, and pedestrian fatalities. The 3D vision of LiDAR is increasingly recognized as an important sensor to detect roadway danger and promote public safety.

LEDinside projected that the market value of LiDAR will reach US$ 191 million in 2023. Apart from the main applications in automotive sensing and intelligent transportation system, the technology can also be adopted in research measurement, household applications and more.