The technology, to be released in Japan later this year, uses radar and sonar sensors along with cameras to compile the three-dimensional mapping data required for cars to "see" their surroundings. Apart from sonar, side radar and around-view monitoring cameras, Nissan said it has developed a "tri-cam" that focuses on three points to the front and sides of the vehicle to capture a wide area of view. Tesla also relies on cameras and radars for its self-driving technology. Nissan wants to add its self-driving technology to more of its affordable models to boost sales and recover from a profit slump. When reporting earnings earlier this week, the automaker said it had hit "rock bottom" in the aftermath of a financial scandal involving its ousted Chairman Carlos Ghosn. Fool's errand Lidar is currently used by companies including General Motors, Ford Motor Co. and Google affiliate Waymo as automakers and tech firms race to develop self-driving cars. Lidar technology uses light-based sensors that fire roughly 1 million laser pulses a second as it collects measurements that are analyzed and processed into 3D models and maps. More than $1 billion in corporate and private investment has been pumped into some 50 lidar startups over the past three years, according to a Reuters analysis in March of publicly available investment data. Still, it is a technology in flux. Initially using bulky spinning devices placed on the roof of cars, lidar developers have transitioned to more compact solid-state devices that can be mounted on other parts of a car. These now sell for less than $10,000 in limited quantities, and are widely expected to eventually sell for as little as $200 in mass production.
Nissan will retain radar sensors and sensors for its self - driving vehicle technology instead of the more expensive LiDAR , already rejected by Tesla CEO Elon Musk as “ a driver ’s errand ” . The Japanese carmaker , which expects to launch self - driving cars by 2020 , said there is an imbalance between LiDAR ’s cost and its capabilities . Nissan ’s smart 2.0 technology for self - driving vehicles , which uses GPS , radar , sonar , cameras and 3D mapping data , will be launched in 2020 later in 2019 . companies using LiDAR include General Motors , Ford and Alphabet subsidiary Waymo .