Rivian is preparing to integrate LiDAR sensors into its next-generation vehicles, marking a major shift in its self-driving hardware strategy as costs for the high-precision technology continue to drop sharply.
A job posting published in mid-August for Rivian’s Pose Team — the group responsible for mapping, localization, and sensor calibration — detailed new software engineering roles.
The listing included the development of algorithms for calibrating the company’s “Autonomy sensor suite which includes cameras, IMU, lidar, and radar.”
The posting confirms that LiDAR, a light-based sensing technology used for high-resolution 3D perception, is officially part of Rivian’s autonomy platform for the first time.
The move aligns with comments made by founder and Chief Executive Officer RJ Scaringe during Rivian’s second-quarter earnings call on August 5, when he discussed the company’s long-term approach to autonomy.
Scaringe said Rivian’s strategy centers on “early sensor fusion,” or feeding raw data from multiple sensors — including cameras, radar, and potentially LiDAR — directly into AI models to better interpret the driving environment.
“LiDAR, radars, these things are not as expensive as they once were,” Scaringe said.
“It allows us to build a much richer understanding of what the vehicle sees at the early stage… and it’s accretive, meaning if the sensors get better, you don’t throw away the model as we once did,” he stated.
Geely Auto Group Vice President Li Chuanhai said earlier this year that the cost of a single automotive LiDAR unit in China has plunged from about 30,000 yuan ($4,200) to around 1,000 yuan ($140).
Rivian’s upcoming mid-size R2 SUV, expected to enter production in the first half of next year starting at $45,000, is not planned to include LiDAR.
However, the technology could appear in subsequent models or iterations.
Following the R2, the company will launch the R3 and a higher-performance R2X variant, as recently teased by the chief executive.
In an InsideEVs podcast later that month, Scaringe hinted that multiple derivatives are planned for the R2 platform:
“It doesn’t take a huge amount of imagination to think of what comes next… you could imagine X versions, you could imagine other versions,” he said.
Rivian’s consideration of LiDAR comes as the cost of the sensors continues to fall sharply, paving the way for mass adoption.
Rivian has not disclosed a timeline for LiDAR-equipped vehicles, but the combination of internal hiring, software development, and CEO commentary suggests the technology could appear after the initial launch of the R2 line — possibly in late 2027 or later — as the automaker scales its autonomy platform to a broader fleet.
Bloomberg reported on Friday that the EV maker is reworking a key element of its vehicle doors over safety concerns.
Rivian earlier this week released footage of its upcoming R2 SUV fording water at a company test site, as it prepares to begin production next year.
The release coincides with Rivian building hundreds of production-intent prototypes of the R2, which it says are now in real-world testing and final validation ahead of launch.
