It seems like every time lasers are used in an up-and-coming new area, there is always much debate on if some other non-laser way of doing the same task would be better (and usually cheaper). Lasers have the reputation of being expensive, especially when you enter the consumer space. This discussion is occurring currently around the use of light detection and ranging (lidar) for autonomous vehicles. Lidar has been expensive, so can autonomous vehicles operate without it? Instead, they are relying upon radar, cameras, and ultrasonic sensors for autonomous vehicles, but NOT lidar.
I live in Arizona, where currently almost 600 fully autonomous vehicles roam the streets, mostly vehicles produced by Waymo. Starting last November (2019), the Waymo fleet started operating without a safety driver behind the wheel. Even for someone who is a big supporter of new technology, seeing one of these cars pull behind you or alongside of you for the first time is a bit scary.
The modified Chrysler Pacifica minivans that Waymo uses in Arizona has five lidar units—a large one on the top, one in the rear, one in the front, and one on each side of the front. Interestingly, Waymo has designed its own lidar sensors for recent models of its vehicles, and starting mid-2019, the company even started selling one of these lidar units to other companies when it doesn’t directly compete with Waymo. Still, even with the cost-reduced in-house lidar sensors, the total lidar cost per vehicle is likely still close to $10,000.
On the other end of the spectrum is Elon Musk, whose stance against including lidar on autonomous vehicles is not a secret, even so much as saying last April that “Anyone relying on lidar is doomed.” Elon has never been one to mince words.
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Editor's Note: Don't forget to Review Nogee’s laser market forecast numbers in our annual Laser Focus World report entitled “Laser markets navigate turbulent times.”
