Yu Chengdong Dismisses LiDAR, Highlights Huawei’s Autonomous Driving Prowess: Results Speak Louder Than Specs?

A debate is brewing in the autonomous driving world, and Huawei’s Richard Yu is throwing down the gauntlet. Yu, the CEO of Huawei’s Intelligent Automotive Solution BU, recently showcased the capabilities of the new AITO M7 equipped with Huawei’s ADS 4.0 advanced driver-assistance system, directly addressing skepticism, particularly from figures like Elon Musk, regarding the necessity of LiDAR technology.

Yu posted videos online demonstrating the AITO M7 navigating complex urban environments in Chongqing, a city renowned for its challenging road conditions. The videos highlighted the vehicle’s ability to navigate narrow parking lots, execute tight U-turns, and maneuver through intricate highway interchanges – all without apparent difficulty. The system demonstrated seamless vehicle detection and safe navigation through areas with no traffic signals.

Yu asserted that the AITO M7 successfully navigated over a dozen complex scenarios in Chongqing, passing each on the first attempt.

Yu underscored that the car’s powerful assisted driving capabilities are the result of Huawei’s intelligent driving technology combined with LiDAR sensors.

Huawei’s ADS 4.0 utilizes a new WEWA (perception, decision-making, execution architecture, that is intended to minimize end-to-end latency, boosting efficiency, and creating a smoother user experience. The system is designed for seamless integration across all assisted driving scenarios, including “parking space to parking space” P2P 2.0 automated parking. Huawei claims it can navigate over highway toll booths, bus lanes, and supports automated parking in 500,000 parking lots nationwide.

Critically, the high-end configurations of the new AITO M7 boast a comprehensive sensor suite including a roof-mounted 192-line LiDAR, a rear-facing solid-state LiDAR, and five 4D millimeter-wave radars, totaling 30 sensors. This enables a 360° perception in all weather conditions, supporting the detection of rear-facing suspended objects and negative obstacles. The system is designed to improve rain, fog, and dust weather recognition, as well as parking assist capabilities.

The integration of LiDAR is a philosophical divergence from companies like Tesla, which relies solely on camera-based systems. Huawei’s multi-sensor approach is intended to provide increased redundancy and reliability, particularly in challenging environmental conditions where camera systems may struggle. The debate hinges on the question of whether camera-based systems can achieve sufficient accuracy and robustness for fully autonomous driving, or whether LiDAR’s precise 3D mapping capabilities are essential.

While accolades for the ADS system are growing, the system is still in its early stages. The widespread adoption of such advanced features will depend on long-term system performance, safety record in real-world driving conditions, and regulatory approval from government agencies. Furthermore, its domestic success will likely drive further expansion into global markets, setting up potentially direct competition in the international stage with companies like Tesla, Mobileye and Waymo.