Ford sold Velodyne stake after lidar maker’s post-SPAC gain

Ford Motor Co. has sold off its stake in Velodyne Lidar Inc., a leading maker of sensors being used in the development of self-driving cars.

File photo of Ford logo. (AP)
File photo of Ford logo.

Ford, which invested $75 million in Velodyne in 2016, no longer held any shares as of the end of last year, according to a regulatory filing. The automaker held almost 13.1 million shares three months earlier, a holding worth $244.2 million at the close of the third quarter.

“This is consistent with our efforts to make the best, highest use of capital," said T.R. Reid, a Ford spokesman. “We are using Velodyne technology in our autonomous vehicles."

Velodyne went public in September after merging with a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC. The valuation of the San Jose, California-based company has been volatile since its trading debut, peaking at $4.62 billion in late December.

Also Read : Ford chief calls for EV battery deal to avoid supply disruptions

Ford took a stake in Velodyne six months before it invested $1 billion in self-driving startup Argo AI, led by Bryan Salesky and Peter Rander, previous leaders at autonomous teams at Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Uber Technologies Inc. Since then, Argo has developed an entire self-driving system -- including its own lidar technology -- that Ford intends to deploy commercially next year. Lidar, which bounces light off objects to assess shape and location in real time, has become key proprietary technology in the race to develop driverless vehicles.

“Our in-house lidar development effort, formed upon the acquisition of Princeton Lightwave in 2017, is going very well," Alan Hall, an Argo spokesman, said in an email. “We will share more information about the progress at the appropriate time."

Argo also is developing autonomous autos for Volkswagen AG, which invested $2.6 billion in the startup last year, giving it a valuation of $7 billion.vc

First Published Date: 16 Feb 2021, 14:54 PM IST
NEXT ARTICLE BEGINS
Shopping Bag Shop Now
Godrej aer O – Hanging Car Air Freshener | Car Accessories | Cool Aqua (7.5g)
Rs. 99
70% OFF
VENO Portable High Power 2 in 1 Car Vacuum Cleaner | USB Rechargeable Wireless Handheld Car Vacuum Cleaner Traveling, Camping Reusable and Sustainable (2 in 1 Vacuum Cleaner)
Rs. 899 Rs. 2,999
SHAYONAM Dent Removal Kit - Powerful Car Dent Repair Kit - Suction Cup Dent Puller Handle Lifter and Dent Repair Puller for Car Body Dent, Glass, Tiles and Mirror (Plastic)
Rs. 349
Godrej aer O – Hanging Car Air Freshener | Car Accessories | Musk After Smoke (7.5g)
Rs. 99

Please provide your details to get Personalized Offers on

Choose city
+91 | Choose city
Choose city
Choose city
By clicking "View Offers" you Agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy

Dear Name

Please verify your mobile number.

+91 | Choose city
Couldn't verify the OTP.
It's either expired or it's incorrect.