Beijing-based LiDAR maker Benewake bags investment from FAW, Xiaomi-backed capitals

Beijing (Gasgoo)- On December 22, Beijing-based LiDAR supplier Benewake officially released results of its latest Series-C financing and launched its first 512-line LiDAR, the AD2. 

Photo credit: Benewake

Investors of the round include an unnamed Chinese startup automaker, FAW Group-backed Changchun FAWSN Group, Xiaomi-affiliated Shunwei Capital, CCB Capital, and several other organizations.

According to Benewake, the 512-line LiDAR, AD2, is the first high-performance main 512-line LiDAR across the industry. It mainly targets clienteles including startup automakers, traditional car manufacturers, and autonomous driving solution providers. Up to now, the LiDAR product has attracted procurement orders for several vehicle models for a total of 180,000 units. The AD2 is planned to be mass produced and delivered in 2023.

Along with the release of the AD2, Benewake introduced to automakers its future strategic plan. Specifically, in the software aspect, Benewake will further optimize the basic processing and algorithm of the point cloud, and transfer the functional layer software development to the clients. Moreover, Benewake also initiated the 512 Ecosystem Alliance, targeting partners such as suppliers of high-computing-power chips, solution providers, and automakers.