Volvo drops lidar system, and Elon Musk says he warned them

Another major shift has occurred in the automotive market regarding approaches to autonomous driving technologies. According to Ixbt.com, the renowned Swedish company Volvo has officially decided to stop using LiDAR sensors in its EX90 and ES90 car models. This decision has been interpreted in various ways across different markets, capturing the attention of car enthusiasts and industry experts. This is reported by Ixbt.com reports .

The main reason cited for this drastic change is the financial trouble faced by Volvo's partner and sensor supplier, Luminar. Specifically, because Luminar encountered bankruptcy proceedings in its operations, it became unable to supply these crucial pieces of equipment for the cars. As a result, Volvo is forced to abandon this technology and phase out the system.

Customers in Norway to receive compensation

As a result of these technological changes, customer interests were not left unattended either. Specifically, it was determined that customers in the Norwegian market would be paid a compensation of 1,800 EUR for promised but unfulfilled features. Situations like this show that supplier-related issues in the automotive industry ultimately directly affect consumers.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk also reacted to the situation on his social media page. He wrote on his X page: "I tried to warn them. People drive cars using neural networks and optical sensors. The same applies to robotaxis."

Elon Musk's critical views on lidar technology

Elon Musk is known for having previously expressed extremely negative views on lidar systems. He had earlier called this technology a "fool's errand". The founder of Tesla firmly believes that expensive lidar sensors are not necessary for creating autonomous driving systems, and that the main focus should be on AI and cameras.

Currently, two different approaches remain in the automotive industry for developing autonomous driving systems. While one group of companies relies on lidar and radar, Tesla and its supporters are trying to prove that high results can be achieved exclusively through optical sensors and neural networks.

Volvo's abandonment of lidars and Luminar's bankruptcy have marked another major turning point in these technological debates. Practical results in the coming years will show which path the future of the automotive industry will take and which technology will prevail.