Tesla Model Y gets LiDAR sensor in test sighting suggesting robotaxi development

[Redaktion]

A Tesla Model Y has been spotted on California's highway 101 with a large LiDAR sensor array mounted to its roof. The bulky hardware suggests that Tesla is conducting testing, either to validate its camera-based self-driving or as part of its engineering efforts for a LiDAR-based robotaxi.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Tesla-Model-Y-gets-LiDAR-sensor-in-test-sighting-suggesting-robotaxi-development.850735.0.html

[indy]

No robotaxi without Lidar. Tesla is seeing the writing on the wall.

[Mike p]

No robotaxi without Lidar. Tesla is seeing the writing on the wall.

lol no.
From what I understand they run lidar variants side by side with FSD so they can  correct and compare the systems

[julian.vdm]

lol no.
From what I understand they run lidar variants side by side with FSD so they can  correct and compare the systems
[/quote]

This is what I found mentioned as well, but it doesn't make sense for Tesla to buy $2 million in LiDAR sensors from Luminar if they're just for validation. Sure, that's maybe not enough to put a significant dent in Model Y/3 sales quantities, but for a few hundred/dozen test mules and an early production run for robotaxis? Maybe?