Does Ford use LiDAR?
Ford has used LiDAR in its autonomous-vehicle development, most notably through its former Argo AI venture. In production vehicles and public driver-assist features, Ford currently relies on camera-based sensing with radar, and it has signaled a shift away from LiDAR-heavy approaches.
A history of LiDAR in Ford's autonomous program
Key milestones show when and how LiDAR was used in Ford's autonomous development, and how the strategy changed over time.
Partnership with Argo AI and LiDAR deployments
- Ford collaborated with Argo AI (a venture Ford co-owned) to develop self-driving technology, and Argo’s test fleets relied on LiDAR sensors along with cameras and radar to perceive environments in cities such as Pittsburgh, Miami, and Austin.
- During the Argo AI era, LiDAR was a core part of perception for autonomous pilot programs and demonstrations, helping with object detection, mapping, and planning in complex urban settings.
- In 2022–2023, Ford and its partner began winding down Argo AI and reassessing the autonomous strategy, signaling a move away from a LiDAR-heavy stack toward more camera- and radar-centric sensing, software, and simulation.
These developments reflect a broader industry trend where some companies have reduced emphasis on LiDAR for mainstream deployments, while LiDAR remains common in other AV programs and applications.
Current stance and future direction
What Ford is pursuing now in production vehicles and its public-facing programs is described here, including how sensing technology is evolving on consumer models.
Shift to vision-based sensing for production vehicles
- Ford’s consumer driver-assist features, such as BlueCruise, rely primarily on cameras and radar fusion rather than LiDAR, with availability on select models and highway routes.
- Following the Argo AI phase-out, Ford has emphasized a vision-first approach—focusing on software, simulation, and sensor fusion using cameras and radar for scalable deployment rather than a LiDAR-heavy stack.
- There is no public, announced plan to reintroduce LiDAR as a standard sensor in Ford’s mass-market production vehicles in the near term, with ongoing ADAS expansion centered on camera-based systems.
In sum, Ford’s public strategy now centers on camera-based sensing complemented by radar for many driver-assist features, while LiDAR remains part of its historical development efforts and is not presented as a core production component for mainstream vehicles.
Summary
Ford has used LiDAR in its autonomous development through Argo AI, but for current production vehicles and public programs, the company emphasizes a camera-first approach with radar, and has moved away from LiDAR-heavy architectures in its mainstream efforts. The company continues to explore sensor fusion and software-driven autonomy, with LiDAR remaining part of historical and experimental work rather than a required production sensor in the near term.
Who supplies LiDAR for Waymo?
Waymo develops its own lidar in-house, having started by using Velodyne's systems. While Waymo once sold its "Laser Bear Honeycomb" lidar to other companies, it has since stopped this commercial sales effort to focus on its own autonomous driving system. The company now builds its own lidar and also works with external suppliers for components for its next-generation technology.
- In-house lidar: Waymo develops and builds its own lidar sensors for its autonomous vehicles, a process it began in 2011.
- Historical supplier: Initially, Waymo used lidar from Velodyne but decided the technology wasn't sufficient for its needs.
- Commercial sales: Waymo had a brief period of selling its in-house lidar (such as the "Laser Bear Honeycomb" short-range sensor) to other companies, but it ended this commercial business in 2021.
- External suppliers: For its next-generation technology, Waymo intends to use a combination of its in-house lidar and components from external suppliers.
- Other components: Beyond lidar, Waymo also uses a combination of other sensors, including radar and cameras, and has reportedly used cameras from a Taiwanese company called Calin.
Does Ford use LiDAR technology?
A recent test at the Ford Motor Company's Arizona Proving Ground demonstrated the Ford Focus's ability to use lidar sensor technology and 3D maps to drive in the dark without headlights.
Which car companies use LiDAR?
Manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Ford, Volvo and Waymo are not the only ones to have recognized the potential of LiDAR. Tesla, one of the pioneers in autonomous driving, is now also relying on the advanced sensor technology – and this after Elon Musk had previously described LiDAR as a "mistake".
Does the Ford Blue Cruise use LiDAR?
No, Ford BlueCruise does not use its own lidar sensors, but it does utilize pre-mapped high-definition LiDAR data to function. The system relies on a combination of cameras, radar, GPS, and driver-facing monitoring for its hands-free operation, while leveraging LiDAR-scanned map data of "Blue Zones" for its advanced capabilities.
- How BlueCruise works: The system uses forward-facing cameras, radar, and GPS to maintain lane position and a safe distance from other vehicles. It also uses an interior-facing infrared camera to monitor the driver's attention, ensuring they are looking at the road.
- Lidar's role: BlueCruise does not have its own lidar sensor but uses detailed, pre-mapped LiDAR data of "Blue Zones"—hands-free sections of highway—to know the precise layout of the road. This allows it to operate with confidence in specific, pre-mapped areas.
- Comparison to other systems: In contrast to some competitors like GM's Super Cruise, which uses its own lidar sensors for real-time mapping, BlueCruise is reliant on pre-mapped data supplemented by its other onboard sensors and cameras.
