Rivian is considering developing and manufacturing its own LiDAR sensors and may work with a Chinese technology partner as part of the effort, according to comments by chief executive RJ Scaringe reported by Reuters.
Scaringe said in an interview that future versions of Rivian’s upcoming Rivian R2 vehicles, expected later this year, will incorporate LiDAR sensors to support advanced driver-assistance and autonomous driving functions. LiDAR systems help vehicles generate three-dimensional environmental maps by using laser-based sensing technology.
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The California-based electric vehicle company has been expanding its in-house technology development efforts as it seeks to strengthen its autonomous driving capabilities and compete with rivals including Tesla.
Reuters reported that Rivian launched an internal chip development initiative last year focused on building proprietary self-driving technology.
Rather than purchasing LiDAR units directly from Chinese suppliers, Rivian is evaluating whether to manufacture the sensors domestically in the United States using Chinese technology, potentially through a joint venture arrangement, Scaringe said.
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“For the sensors at a ‘low hundreds of dollars price point’ required by automakers like Rivian, all the real choices are coming out of China,” Scaringe said in the interview.
China currently dominates the market for low-cost automotive LiDAR systems through suppliers including Hesai and RoboSense.
Separately, Rivian recently began series production of the mid-size R2 electric SUV at its manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois, with first customer deliveries expected later this spring.
The automaker is also expanding plans for its second U.S. manufacturing facility in Georgia, increasing planned annual production capacity at the site to 300,000 vehicles from a previously targeted 200,000 units.