Do we need LiDAR?

The recent video from Mark Rober comparing a Tesla on Autopilot and a LiDAR equipped Luminar vehicle has led to a lot of comments online about Tesla's camera only system being unsafe, or alternatively shouts of "fake news" from Tesla fans.

So today we're going to dig deep into camera based semi-autonomous systems, look at what Rober's video did -- and didn't -- test. And whether LiDAR is a requirement for fully autonomous driving systems.

The Mark Rober Video - Can you fool a self-driving car - is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQJL3htsDyQ

Transport Evolved would like to extend thanks to the multiple autonomous driving engineers and programmers we've talked to both over the years and specifically for this video. You all helped make this coverage possible.

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00:00 - Introduction
03:41 - The background to TE's self-driving coverage
06:00 - The Mark Rober video
07:09 - What "Can you fool a self-driving car" is -- and isn't about
09:48 - Could a non-camera based traditional ADAS system have done better?
11:05 - Is LIDAR required? A quick history of semi-autonomous systems
15:32 - What changed to make camera only systems feasible?
18:27 - Why might you want other sensors?
24:52 - Infrastructure issues also make camera only tricky
26:17 - Some things are small
27:39 - Other sensor options - Radars
30:00 - Other sensor options - Ultrasonics
31:00 - Other sensor options - LiDAR sensors
33:13 - Some LiDAR issues
34:34 - Conclusions
36:28 - Thanks and Credits

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Script: Kate Walton-Elliott, Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield
Presenter: Kate Walton-Elliott
Editor, Colorist: Kate Walton-Elliott
Art and Animation: Erin Carlie
Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield
Music supplied through Artlist.io
© Transport Evolved LLC, 2025

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