Will Elon Musk also use lidar when driving on China’s highways at night? | Should Tesla adopt Lidar technology?

The dispute between Tesla and Lidar technology continues. Tesla CEO Elon Musk favors camera-based Autopilot systems, while many other companies use Lidar sensors for self-driving cars. Recently, Li Xiang, CEO of China’s electric car manufacturer Li Auto, has rekindled this debate.

Li Auto CEO claims: China’s nights are challenging for Tesla

Li Xiang says that China’s roads, especially at night, pose a big challenge for Tesla’s Autopilot system. He said that poor lighting conditions and the presence of large trucks without taillights on the road can cause Tesla’s camera-based system to have trouble detecting objects. He believes that Lidar technology can prove to be much more reliable in such conditions.

Advantages of Lidar Technology

Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) is a technology that creates a 3D model of its surroundings using laser beams. This technology can accurately detect objects even in poor lighting conditions. With the help of Lidar technology, self-driving cars can accurately estimate the distance and direction of surrounding vehicles and pedestrians.

What does Elon Musk have to say about Lidar?

Elon Musk has been a vocal critic of Lidar technology. He believes that this technology is too complex and expensive. At the same time, he says that the camera-based system is accurate enough and will get even better in the future with the development of artificial intelligence.

Should Tesla adopt Lidar technology?

This is a complex question. Tesla’s Autopilot system has certainly made progress, but safety concerns cannot be completely ruled out either. Points such as China’s road conditions raised by Li Auto CEO should be considered. Whether Tesla will adopt Lidar technology in the future or not remains to be seen.

This debate between Tesla and Li Auto sheds light on the technologies used in the development of self-driving cars. Lidar technology has its own advantages, but Tesla is committed to sticking with the camera-based approach. It will be interesting to see in the coming times which technology shapes the future of self-driving cars.