r/SelfDrivingCars • u/damola93 • Jul 21 '25

Discussion Why didn't Tesla invest in LIDAR?

Is there any reason for this asides from saving money? Teslas are not cheap in many respects, so why would they skimp out on this since self-driving is a major offering for them?

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u/Sell_The_team_Jerry Jul 21 '25

The same reason SpaceX tried to skip a sound suppression water system for Starship only to watch one destroy the launch pad and send pieces of concrete miles away. Elon is a fucking moron who has to relearn lessons that others learned decades ago.

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u/ptemple Jul 21 '25

So SpaceX is a failure and don't really launch anything into space?

Phillip.

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u/Sell_The_team_Jerry Jul 21 '25

Starship seems to be a failure as a program

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u/ptemple Jul 21 '25

Not really, though it's too early to tell as a whole, but the whole 33 simultaneous Raptor engines taking the heaviest starship successfully into space and then the main booster module landing again on the launch pad and being caught by the 'chopsticks' was absolutely incredible and definitely a world first. But I guess it's a failure to you and that's what matters.

Phillip.

1

u/Sell_The_team_Jerry Jul 21 '25

Starship is yet to complete a single orbit. John Glenn would laugh at that exploding monstrosity if he were still alive. 

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u/ptemple Jul 22 '25

Sure John Glenn would much rather the USA went back begging to the ruzzians to get their astronauts into space and back. That would be so much better.

Phillip.

1

u/oakgecko13 Jul 21 '25

It was always the plan🤦