Yole Group announces the release of its ‘2025 Automotive LiDAR Report’, highlighting a new chapter for the global LiDAR industry. Indeed, after a period of hesitation and market bifurcation between passenger vehicles and robotaxis, 2024 marked a major turning point: LiDAR adoption in passenger cars is accelerating, particularly in China, and is now the key engine of market growth.
Pierrick Boulay, Principal Analyst, Automotive Semiconductors at Yole Group, said: “The global LiDAR market for automotive is expected to quadruple by 2030. We see robust growth from $859 million in 2024 to $3.56 billion. This market evolution is definitely driven by rapid integration in passenger cars and continued R&D in autonomy-enabling features. In 2024 alone, over 1.6 million LiDAR units were shipped, more than doubling the previous year’s volume. The shift is unmistakable: passenger car LiDAR sales were over four times higher than those in the robotaxi sector.”
Robotaxi momentum has slowed in the US, with Waymo remaining the only major operator, while GM’s Cruise exited the market in late 2024 after safety setbacks. Meanwhile, China is ramping up robotaxi deployments, led by Baidu’s Apollo Go, which now operates fully driverless fleets across more than ten cities and aims for profitability in 2025 with 1,000 sixth-generation robotaxis planned in Wuhan.
Passenger cars adopt LiDAR
LiDAR-equipped vehicles are no longer exclusive to luxury segments. Since 2018, over 120 vehicle models have integrated LiDAR, with 40 models added in the last two years alone.
“The trend is clearest in China, where OEMs are deploying LiDAR across vehicle classes, including D-segment and even C-segment models priced around $25,000,” explains Boulay.
BYD’s recent “God’s Eye” technology announcement and Li Auto’s decision to standardise LiDAR across all 2025 models demonstrate a powerful commitment to mass-market adoption. These moves are expected to influence other local automakers and accelerate demand through 2025 and beyond.
In contrast, Western and European regions and their OEMs remain cautious. There, LiDAR is still largely reserved for premium and luxury vehicles from brands like Audi, BMW, Volvo, and Mercedes-Benz. Adoption is slow, with global OEMs focusing on “Highway Pilot” features – true autonomous modes where the driver is not responsible.
Market leaders and regional dominance: China leads the game
The competitive landscape has shifted dramatically. In the overall automotive LiDAR market, Hesai leads with 33% market share, followed by RoboSense, Huawei, and Seyond. Together, these four Chinese companies control 89% of the total market.
In the passenger car segment, RoboSense and Hesai each command 26%, while Huawei moved up to third place in 2024 thanks to strong partnerships with OEMs like Aito, Avatr, and Luxeed, where LiDAR is offered as a standard feature. Overall, Chinese LiDAR manufacturers now control 93% of this market, backed by scale, government support, and aggressive pricing, giving them a strategic edge over Western competitors such as Valeo, Luminar, and Innoviz.
“China’s dominance in automotive LiDAR is not accidental. It’s the result of deliberate industrial policy, fast product cycles, and bold integration strategies,” explains Boulay.
This insight aligns closely with Yole Group’s first Automotive White Paper, which outlines the wider autonomous driving roadmap and emphasises how technologies like LiDAR, radar, and cameras are fuelling demand across the entire semiconductor supply chain.
As the race toward autonomy intensifies, LiDAR is no longer a speculative technology. Indeed, it is becoming a core enabler of next-generation driving features, particularly in Asia. With a 24% CAGR through 2030, growing adoption in lower vehicle segments, and regional divergence in strategies, the automotive LiDAR market is set for transformation.
To download the Automotive White Paper, Vol. 1: HERE
