Rivian Automotive Inc.‘s (NASDAQ:RIVN) The top autonomy executive says rapidly falling lidar costs have made the once-unaffordable sensor an obvious choice as the EV maker accelerates plans for fully autonomous vehicles.
Lidar costs are falling, making laser sensors feasible for consumer EVs
James PhilbinRivian’s vice president of autonomy and AI said the price of lidar has fallen dramatically over the past decade, putting it within reach for mass-produced, personally owned vehicles. reported Business insider.
“It’s been on an incredible cost curve,” Philbin said.
He added: “10 years ago it would just be unimaginable that you could put a lidar on a consumer vehicle. And now it’s getting to that price point, about within the range of a radar.”
Lidar uses laser light to measure distance and create detailed 3D maps of a vehicle’s surroundings, improving performance in poor visibility and complex driving environments.
Rivian’s autonomy strategy is a departure from Tesla’s camera-only approach
Philbin said lidar enhances Rivian’s self-driving system by adding redundancy to cameras and radar, increasing safety and reliability.
“The performance it delivers for the money is truly astonishing,” he said. “It’s kind of a no-brainer that you would want more sensors and more modalities for something that is so safety critical.”
Rivian on Thursday outlined a roadmap to full autonomy, including building an internal computer chip and adding lidar to its upcoming R2 SUV.
The R2, Rivian’s most affordable vehicle with a starting price of about $45,000, will launch without lidar in early 2026, with a lidar-equipped version planned for later that year.
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Rivian is pushing for Level 4 autonomy and an affordable R2 SUV
Last week, Rivian said it had delved deeper into autonomous driving, unveiling an internal AI chip and outlining plans to reach Level 4 autonomy, while also aiming to expand affordable EV options in a US market it said lacks consumer choice.
During the Autonomy and AI Day event, CEO RJ Scare introduced the Rivian Autonomy Processor and said the company would rely on a mix of lidar, cameras and radar for future self-driving systems, including on upcoming R2 models.
Rivian also announced its Universal Hands-Free driver assistance system and an Autonomy+ subscription expected to launch in early 2026.
Additionally, Scaringe said the U.S. EV market was limited by supply rather than demand, noting that Tesla vehicles were essentially the only viable options under $50,000.
He pointed to the R2 crossover, expected to cost around $45,000, as Rivian’s attempt to broaden consumer choice, with deliveries scheduled for the first half of next year.
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Disclaimer: This content was produced in part using AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga’s editorial staff.
Photo courtesy: Michael Berlfein via Shutterstock
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