BYD's Lidar Move on Budget EVs Called Gimmick by Critic

BYD's decision to equip some of its most affordable electric cars with lidar has drawn skepticism from EV commentator Sam Evans. In a May 14 video, he argued that the move may generate more buzz than practical benefits for drivers.

The Electric Viking host stated that adding expensive sensing hardware to ultra-affordable EVs overlooks what budget-conscious buyers care about most: price, range, and reliability. Evans pushed back on recent coverage of BYD's plans to equip lower-cost models like the BYD Seagull with lidar, describing the idea as "completely pointless" for entry-level buyers. In the roughly nine-minute video, he suggested some reports overstated the importance of the change.

His central argument was straightforward: adding lidar alone does not make a car truly self-driving. Evans said the technology can increase vehicle costs without ensuring real-world benefits, especially in the most affordable EVs. "Putting lidar on a car does not suddenly give it the amazing ability to self-drive," he said, summing up: "You pay more money essentially for nothing."

Evans' point applies mainly to entry-level buyers not planning to use self-driving features. Normal accident prevention systems use only cameras to warn drivers or nudge the car, while Evans argued lidar provides no real value unless the car has excellent self-driving tech that the driver will use. However, reports indicate that lidar is an optional upgrade for entry-level models at an additional cost and does enable BYD's self-driving technology. BYD's aim is to bring safe self-driving to a wider audience, though Evans believes the move is purely for marketing appeal.

Evans also questioned whether shoppers in this category are asking for advanced autonomy hardware, noting they focus on upfront affordability and ownership expenses rather than sensor-heavy features. The discussion is significant because affordable EVs can help more drivers move from gas-powered vehicles, and adding costly hardware that does not clearly improve the ownership experience could undermine their appeal.