Lidar’s Wicked Cost Drop – CleanTechnica

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There’s constant talk about improving ADAS (advanced driver assist systems), or autonomous driving tech as it’s often referred to now. BYD is rolling it into every single new model by default. (As Oprah would say, “You get self-driving tech! You get self driving tech!“) Rivian just expanded what it’s offering. And there are almost constant press releases about new and improved systems in EVs. I was just reading an article from China Daily on the growing autonomous driving market and dropping costs, and I came across this quote:

A LiDAR unit, for instance, used to cost 30,000 yuan (about $4,100), but now it costs only around 1,000 yuan (about $138) — a dramatic decrease, said Li.

Wowza — from about $4000 to about $140.

Well, I’ve seen similar statements before, but it’s still striking, and it just makes one think: why wouldn’t all cars include lidar units eventually, or very soon? Yes, yes, we’ve all heard the “vision is all you need” argument. Maybe Tesla will crack that nut. However, basic logic and countless experts tell us that it’s useful to have this extra sensing technology included in a car’s driver-assist system in order to better sense some obstacles and “see better” in certain weather conditions. It’s just far, far, far better for certain uses than any alternatives.

The good news is that it’s now so cheap. This extra cost is minimal if it provides much better safety and results in fewer accidents.

“It’s about both volume and technology itself. The automotive industry relies on scale to reduce costs. When application volume increases, costs come down,” Li Chuanhai, Vice President of Geely Auto Group, said to China Daily in an interview. “Current autonomous driving technology, especially from Chinese brands, is progressing rapidly. Particularly, AI large models represent a revolutionary advancement for autonomous driving capabilities.”

At the pace of development in the autonomous and semi-autonomous driving sector, one would think lidar will be incorporated more and more and will be the norm within 5 years — perhaps just a lot sooner in China than in less advanced markets like the US. On that matter …

Jonas Nahm, an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, noted that the US was missing out by blocking itself off from the fast-innovating Chinese car market and ignoring what’s being achieved across the world. He said that the US “has failed to engage with the reality of China’s auto sector” and “tariffs and bans also reduce pressure on US automakers to innovate, including by learning from China’s EV makers who excel at software innovation, rapid product development, and a relentless focus on reducing costs.” Indeed — we are behind and it looks like we are only going to fall further behind.

Chinese lidar companies are expected to get their advanced tech into global automakers much more in the years to come, such as Toyota, GM, and Volkswagen — starting with joint venture companies they’re a part of in China, but then extending beyond that for other markets. The US, though, will probably block such cars, or put big tariffs on the tech/cars. It used to be that the US is where you’d go to see and get the latest tech. Now … well, no one needs to say it — we all know where you need to go.