Why BMW i Ventures invested in Blackmore Sensors and Analytics

About BMWi Ventures

BMW i Ventures focuses on BMW’s current and future business in the technology and service space.

• Mountain View, California, United States
• 11-50
• Corporate Venture Capital
• Debt, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture, Seed, Venture
• www.bmwiventures.com

About Blackmore Sensors and Analytics

Blackmore Sensors and Analytics develops frequency-modulated continuous wave lidar imaging and its supporting analytic tools software.

• Bozeman, Montana, United States
• 1-10
• Series B
• Private
• blackmoreinc.com/

Our Investment in Blackmore Sensors and Analytics

BMW i Ventures has announced an investment in Blackmore Sensors and Analytics, Inc., a leading developer of frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) lidar for the automotive industry.

The Importance of Lidar Technology in Automotive Innovation

“Advances in new sensor technologies, like lidar, are going to make cars safer and, eventually, autonomous,” said BMW i Ventures partner Zach Barasz.  “Blackmore has unique and innovative FMCW lidar technology that delivers a new dimension of data to future vehicles.”

Low-cost lidar sensors are required to enable self-driving vehicles and, in addition to being more cost-effective, Blackmore’s FMCW lidar technology has several competitive advantages over traditional pulsed lidar systems that enable autonomous driving teams to achieve their goals faster.

Impact on Autonomous Driving and ADAS

“Having the ability to measure both the speed and the distance to any object gives self-driving systems more information to navigate safely,” said Dr. Randy Reibel, Blackmore’s CEO.

Blackmore will use the investment to scale the production of its FMCW lidar sensor for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and self-driving markets. Increased production capacity will allow Blackmore to support the growing sector of autonomous driving teams demanding a superior lidar solution.

Conclusion

As the automotive industry continues to evolve towards fully autonomous driving, the role of advanced sensor technologies like those developed by Blackmore will become increasingly vital.

We are excited to be part of this journey and look forward to the continued growth and success of Blackmore Sensors and Analytics as they lead the way in enhancing the capabilities and safety of the next generation of vehicles.

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