Overview
- RJ Scaringe disclosed Tuesday in a Reuters interview that Rivian is exploring making its own lidar in the United States using Chinese technology.
- Scaringe said the company is in active talks with lidar makers about a joint venture or similar setup to build production outside China.
- The strategy aims to avoid direct dependence on Chinese suppliers like Hesai and RoboSense, whose low-cost sensors have prompted national security concerns from U.S. lawmakers.
- Rivian said an R2 model will include a lidar sensor, while initial R2s launch without the unit and are not eligible for a hardware retrofit.
- The effort dovetails with Rivian’s autonomy roadmap, which includes the RAP‑1 chip arriving this year and an Uber deal that targets R2 robotaxis starting in 2028 with milestone-based funding.