According to foreign media reports, Israeli startup Oryx Vision received $50 million in Series B financing, led by Third Point Ventures and WRV, Union Tech Ventures and its current investors Bessemer Venture Partners, Maniv Mobility and Trucks VC is also involved.
Oryx Vision is attempting to achieve the deep visual performance required for autonomous driving with a simple, low-cost lidar sensor that uses nano antennas.
According to Rani Wellingstein, the company's CEO, the traditional laser pointer radar uses photosensors to detect light, usually measuring light energy. Such silicon microscopic antennas can detect the frequency of light waves. Such systems will increase the sensitivity and range of the laser radar (150 meters) and generate velocity and distance data corresponding to each point in its field of view. The antenna operates at a wavelength of 10 microns, and its beam can penetrate dense fog without causing its detection failure due to excessive sunlight.
To achieve its low-cost goal, the cost of the imager used in Oryx's lidar sensors is consistent with the cost of the camera's built-in camera, which is also slightly less expensive than current lidar systems. The optical components used in the system are also relatively simple, without the need for steering and rotating components, and without regard to light ray factors.
Many industry players recognize that active depth sensing is one of the core technologies of autonomous driving, which can make up for the shortcomings of current product solutions. Oryx's product positioning is an appropriate benefit, which caters to market opportunities and accepts technical challenges.
Last year, Oryx received $17 million in Series A financing and two rounds of financing to raise $67 million. The company will use the funds to accelerate the progress of its research and development activities and strengthen business cooperation with car companies, Tier 1 suppliers and technology companies.
It is estimated that the company will send relevant laser radar devices in the second half of this year and install them on test vehicles to carry out road tests to determine product performance.