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You deserve some up-votes.

Tesla famously doesn't use LIDAR, saying cameras (possibly with parking radar) are good enough.

Here's a nice summary: https://cleantechnica.com/2016/07/29/tesla-google-disagree-l...

I'm not sure whether that isn't just a business decision. CMOS cameras are cheap, small, and they don't change very much. Ergo, once they manage to develop a solution using cameras, they won't have to retrofit the hardware in customers hands to support it, and they can still claim that oneday this car might drive itself.

With LIDAR, well, there's a new type of LIDAR coming out. Then there may be different successor designs and form factors.

Tesla has also killed people with this decision. They've had one fatal crash (at least) due to image based getting confused by a semi truck with a white cargo container in bright sunlight. It thought nothing was in that space and changed lanes accordingly; which the car ended up under the semi truck and the occupants crushed.

Active sensors are needed for human safety applications, passive doesn't make sense.

Tesla has saved people as well by being able to roll out this tech widely. Our eyes are passive and they work. Teslas do have radar sensors.

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