A U.S. Department of Energy laboratory is investigating whether Chinese-made lidar sensors could pose security vulnerabilities if widely adopted in American autonomous vehicles. The Idaho National Laboratory is conducting the review, which is being funded by companies in the electric and autonomous vehicle industries, according to sources familiar with the effort. The investigation comes as lawmakers push to restrict or ban Chinese lidar from U.S. roads, citing national security concerns.

What Security Risks Does Chinese Lidar Actually Present?

Lidar, which stands for light detection and ranging, uses laser pulses to measure distances to nearby objects. It has become essential for autonomous vehicle companies because it provides a high-resolution view of a self-driving car's surroundings. Chinese companies like Hesai and RoboSense have dramatically reduced lidar costs over the past decade, bringing prices down from around $75,000 to just a few hundred dollars in some cases, making the technology increasingly attractive to American automakers.

Security experts have identified multiple layers of concern with Chinese-made lidar. Omer Keilaf, CEO and co-founder of Israeli lidar company Innoviz, outlined the primary cybersecurity risks in an interview.

"As a person that spent seven years in the Israeli intelligence force, I can assure you, it's not very difficult to extract that information. Eventually, the amount of data that the lidar is generating is pretty easily compressed if someone wants to," said Keilaf.

Omer Keilaf, CEO and co-founder of Innoviz

The potential threats include the following scenarios:

• Mass Disabling: Chinese lidar sensors could theoretically be disabled en masse, disrupting vehicles in motion and bricking stationary ones. Researchers have previously demonstrated that individual lidar sensors can be disabled using lasers, though widespread disruption of active robotaxi fleets remains unproven.
• Data Extraction: Lidar sensors collect finely detailed data about their surroundings that could be compressed and transmitted via cellular chips, potentially allowing unauthorized surveillance or espionage.
• Supply Chain Risk: China's government has designated lidar as a strategically important technology, meaning automakers that build their entire autonomous driving systems around Chinese lidar face long-term supply chain vulnerability.

Why Are Lawmakers Pushing to Ban Chinese Lidar?

Congressional pressure to restrict Chinese lidar has intensified significantly. Senator Tammy Baldwin, who is leading the Securing Infrastructure from Adversaries Act alongside Senator Ted Budd, expressed deep concern about the technology's potential for espionage.

"As infrastructure becomes more sophisticated, the threat Chinese LiDAR technology poses to American communities and our national security cannot be allowed to go unchecked. We need to be doing more to protect Americans and that starts with ensuring taxpayer dollars aren't being used to purchase technologies that could be used to spy on us," said Baldwin.

Senator Tammy Baldwin, U.S. Senator (D-WI)

Congressman John Moolenaar, who is co-sponsoring a separate bill to ban Chinese lidar, told CNBC that he worries about "back doors" that could "transmit information back to these Chinese Communist interests". The Department of Defense has already placed both Hesai and RoboSense on its 1260H list, a designation that restricts their ability to work with the U.S. military, citing alleged support for the People's Liberation Army.

How to Stay Informed About Autonomous Vehicle Regulations

• Monitor Legislative Updates: Track bills like the Securing Infrastructure from Adversaries Act and other proposed restrictions on Chinese autonomous vehicle components through Congress.gov or your representative's office.
• Follow Industry Announcements: Major automakers and autonomous vehicle companies regularly disclose their sensor sourcing strategies in earnings calls and press releases; these announcements often signal regulatory shifts before laws pass.
• Review Government Designations: Check the Department of Defense's 1260H list and Commerce Department restrictions on Chinese connectivity hardware to understand which companies and technologies face current limitations.

Which Companies Are Considering Chinese Lidar?

Several major automakers and autonomous vehicle companies have reportedly considered using Chinese lidar sensors. Rivian, which is planning a version of its R2 SUV with integrated lidar, told Reuters in March that it was exploring the possibility of manufacturing lidar in the U.S. by leveraging Chinese technology, potentially through a joint venture. However, Rivian's chief financial officer later stated the company has no plans to develop lidar in-house.

Representatives from Rivian, General Motors, Ford, Kodiak, Lucid Motors, Nuro, and Uber told TechCrunch they were unaware of the Idaho National Laboratory review. Nvidia, Zoox, and Aurora did not respond to questions about their involvement. China's leading lidar suppliers, Hesai and RoboSense, also declined to comment.

The regulatory landscape remains uncertain. While U.S. companies are currently allowed to use Chinese-made lidar, the Commerce Department implemented a rule in 2025 prohibiting Chinese-made connectivity hardware in U.S. passenger cars, though lidar and other autonomous vehicle sensors are not yet covered by this restriction. As autonomous vehicle adoption accelerates and Chinese lidar becomes more cost-competitive, the pressure to regulate or ban the technology is likely to intensify.