Not all LIDARs are equal. Just because BYD is spending $140 on a LIDAR system does not mean it's the same quality as the Waymo system reported to cost $75k almost a decade ago, or, especially, the same quality as the ones in use today.

They might be!

But I doubt it.

I don't know enough about Tesla's cameras, but it's not implausible to think there are LIDARs of low enough quality that you'd be better off with a good quality camera for your sensor.

Again, I doubt this is the case with BYDs cameras.

But it's still worth pointing out, I think.

My point is, BYD's LIDAR system costing $x is only one small part of the conversation.

I would say a $140 LIDAR system that’s currently being used in production cars [somewhere] is better than a $0 non-existent LIDAR system. Pair a cheap LIDAR system with some nice cameras and perhaps you can make up much of the difference in software.