Tesla Model X Mule with LiDAR Spotted Ahead of Robotaxi Event
FYI: A Tesla Model X testing mule has been seen in Northern California ahead of the upcoming Robotaxi event, notably equipped with a LiDAR rig—contrary to the company’s stated preference for camera-based self-driving systems.
A Tesla Model X engineering vehicle, adorned with a LiDAR setup, was recently sighted in Northern California, raising eyebrows ahead of Tesla’s much-anticipated Robotaxi event set for October 10. Despite Tesla’s public stance against LiDAR, it seems the technology is still being utilized in some capacity for data collection or validation purposes.
Tesla’s Vision-Based Self-Driving Approach
Tesla has long championed a Vision-based methodology for its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, eschewing technologies like LiDAR and more recently, even ultrasonic sensors. Instead, the electric vehicle pioneer relies on exterior cameras to navigate and perceive the environment.
Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, has made his views on LiDAR abundantly clear. During Tesla’s Autonomy Day in 2019, he labeled LiDAR as a "fool’s errand," boldly stating:
“Musk said: ‘LiDAR is a fool’s errand. And anyone relying on LiDAR is doomed.’”
In May 2024, Musk reiterated via Twitter that Tesla no longer needed LiDAR for ground truth data:
“We don’t need them even for that anymore”
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk)
The Ongoing Use of LiDAR
Despite Musk’s declaration, Tesla appears to continue employing LiDAR, potentially for backend data validation. Photos shared with automotive.fyi show a Model X engineering vehicle sporting a LiDAR rig. This rig, identified as the Luminar Hydra, has been seen on Tesla vehicles before, including a Model Y in Palm Beach in 2021 and another Model Y in 2020.
Credit: Automotive.fyi via Blake M.
The ongoing sightings suggest that Tesla is still leveraging LiDAR technology to augment its robust data collection processes, possibly for cross-verifying the accuracy of its Vision-based systems.
Upcoming Robotaxi Unveil
Tesla’s Robotaxi event, initially scheduled for August 8 but postponed to October 10, is eagerly awaited. The delay was reportedly due to a need for tweaking a few facets, including the front-end design and incorporating additional features.
Previous test mules previewed ahead of the Robotaxi unveil did not include LiDAR. For instance, an earlier Model 3 test vehicle equipped with an interesting set of cameras was noted this past summer, indicating the company’s consistent experimentation with different sensing technologies.
Looking Ahead
Tesla’s unwavering commitment to a Vision-only approach remains undeterred, despite periodic sightings of LiDAR on test vehicles. The upcoming Robotaxi event promises to offer more insights into the future of Tesla’s autonomous driving technology.
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Authored by William Kouch, Editor of EV News for Automotive.fyi
