Tesla CEO Elon Musk once called LiDAR “a fool’s errand.” However, LiDAR-equipped vehicles are generally considered more reliable in self-driving tests. A recent video by CrunchLabs founder Mark Rober compared Tesla’s Autopilot to a Lexus with LiDAR.
The Tesla Model Y on Autopilot detected a child mannequin and another standing in front of the vehicle under various conditions, including sunset lights. However, it failed to avoid hitting the mannequin when obscured by intense fog, heavy rain, or a fake road wall designed to resemble a Roadrunner. The Lexus with LiDAR passed all tests.
Rober believes that his “fake-wall test” is crucial because humans can detect minor visual inconsistencies in real life situations. Tesla’s Autopilot cameras and AI system still need improvement in certain scenarios, such as extreme weather conditions.
Musk has claimed that a Tesla on Autopilot is nearly 10 times less likely to crash than an average car. However, some experts consider this claim misleading.
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-autopilot-vs-lidar-test-youtube-test-mark-rober-video-2025-3