很多人想知道的盈利模式Waymo，字母的自驾车单元。这里有一个方法：进入传感器业务。
Waymo今天宣布其定制激光雷达传感器，以不与它的机器人，出租车生意竞争客户。该消息是first reported byBloomberg。Waymo表示，将首先针对机器人，安全性，和三个LiDAR传感器农业公司。第一个将激光熊蜂窝3D周长，这是在Waymo的自驾车车辆，并提供以下功能的保险杠发现：
Wide field of view:Where some 3D [LIDAR] have a vertical field of view (FOV) of just 30°, the Honeycomb has a vertical FOV of 95°, plus a 360° horizontal FOV. That means one Honeycomb can do the job of three other 3D sensors stacked on top of one another.
每个脉冲的多个返回:当蜂窝发出光脉冲，它不只是看到的第一对象的激光束的触摸。相反，它最多可以看到在该激光束的视线四个不同的对象（例如，它可以看到在树枝的前两个叶子和树枝本身）。这给环境的丰富，更详细的视图，并且揭露对象，否则可能会被错过。
Minimum range of zero:The Honeycomb has a minimum range of zero, meaning it can see objects immediately in front of the sensor. This enables key capabilities such as near object detection and avoidance.
KeynotesWaymo开始制造自己的LIDAR传感器在2017年年初，以降低成本。当时，Waymo说，这可能会降低从$ 75,000单价为关闭的，现成的LIDAR传感器只是$ 7,500有自己的定制版本。Waymo说，它已经拥有谁购买了激光雷达传感器的客户，但它不会为它们命名或披露单价，当然。
此消息无法做出大的激光雷达供应商如LUMINAR，Quanergy和Velodyne高兴，因为他们也卖自己的传感器机器人公司。降低LiDAR传感器的成本和尺寸一直是这些公司的一项重大举措，也是。汽车LIDAR预计到2025年将产生收入只有2.5 $十亿，根据行业研究员IHS麦盖提。大多数自驾车公司，与特斯拉的例外，依靠激光雷达看到和地图汽车的环境。
“Offering this [LIDAR] to partners helps spur the growth of applications outside of self-driving cars and also propels our business forward,” Waymo said. “We can scale our autonomous technology faster, making each sensor more affordable through economies of scale.”
Waymo是提供自驾车乘坐出租车到客户在亚利桑那州凤凰城的数量有限。Waymo也在测试其汽车在加利福尼亚州，密歇根州和格鲁吉亚。根据机动车的加利福尼亚部门最新脱离号码，Waymo是迄今为止最好的表现自驾车车辆。
For the period of Nov. 31, 2017 through Dec. 1, 2018, Waymo’s self-driving vehicles experienced one disengagement every 11,017 miles. That performance marks a 50 percent reduction in the rate and a 96 percent increase in the average miles traveled between disengagements相比2017年的数字。In 2016, Waymo had one disengagement every 5,128 miles. Waymo also drove significantly more miles, up from 352,000 miles in 2017 to 1.2 million miles in 2018, which makes the performance even more impressive.
Waymo continues to be the autonomous vehicle leader. (Credit: Waymo)
Filed Under:Automotive,The Robot Report,Robotics • robotic grippers • end effectors
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