YouTuber compares a LiDar-equipped Lexus with a Tesla’s camera-based assistance tech to see which demolishes fewer dummies
March 17, 2025 at 10:20
- A YouTuber has highlighted the deadly flaws in Tesla’s camera-based driver assist systems.
- Mark Rover conducted multiple tests with a Model Y and a LiDar-equipped Lexus RX.
- In the final comparison the two cars hurtle towards a theater-style fake road backdrop.
Tesla’s refusal to equip its cars with LiDar sensors is deeply controversial, with some tech experts claiming that the company’s reliance on cameras makes its cars less safe than rivals. Now a YouTuber has put that claim to the test with hilarious – and terrifying – results.
Mark Rober carried out a series of experiments to compare how well his own Tesla Model Y and a LiDar-equipped Lexus RX modified by Luminar fare when presented with different hazards in which the consequence of making a mistake is knocking over a child-size mannequin.
Related: Tesla Spending Millions On Lidar Despite Elon Musk’s Hate For The Tech
In the first test, the dummy is simply standing in the road, and the Lexus spots it with no problem at 40 mph (64 km/h). The Tesla, however, plows right into the fake child when relying solely on its automatic emergency braking system, but does stop in time when the test is re-run with Autopilot engaged.
Next, the two cars have to deal with the dummy running out from behind a parked car, and they both pass. The Tesla didn’t score so well when the child was obscured by fog and rain in the next two tests, but perhaps surprisingly, it did avoid a collision when faced with blinding lights that simulated a low sunset.
Then came the finale, and unlike the other tests, this one isn’t remotely representative of something that might happen to you on the street unless you live inside a 1960s Roadrunner cartoon. The two SUVs are driven straight at a giant foam brick wall that’s been painted to look just like what is actually behind it. Think of the sort of backdrops Hollywood used to make before everything was done with CGI.
With the help of its LiDar sensors, the Lexus pulls up easily because its sensors aren’t seeing what’s on the wall, only that there is a wall. And the Tesla? I’m sure I won’t be spoiling the surprise when I tell you that Model Y blew through those foam blocks like it was starring in some low-rent TV show, and demolished the dummy that was standing behind it.
We’ve primed this video to start at the car testing section, but you might want to watch the whole thing if you’ve ever ridden Disney’s Space Mountain and wondered just how the near-pitch dark ride is actually laid out. With the help of some wearable LiDar tech hidden under his jacket, Rober maps out the ride and then has it 3D printed.
Lead image: Mark Rober/YouTube