Velodyne and ANSYS, Inc. are developing software models of next-generation automotive lidar sensors to provide substantially improved hazard identification capabilities for highly advanced AVs. The collaboration incorporates Velodyne's lidar design into Ansys' virtual sensor suite and expedites automakers' integration of Velodyne's sensor into AVs — delivering driving safety and a drastically faster path to market. One of the challenges facing many advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) is the robustness of the system to dependably test and recognize potentially dangerous edge case scenarios. To manage these anomalies, AVs require lidar as a redundant detection technology that effectively locates and tracks objects across an incredibly wide range of operational situations. However, to be validated as reliable, lidar sensors must perform countless miles of exhaustive physical testing, which radically increases the development cost of the system.