LiDAR Makers Turn Profit First, Outpacing EV Startups in the Race to Power Autonomous Driving

Against the backdrop of continued heavy spending in the autonomous driving sector, LiDAR companies—key providers of perception hardware to automakers—are now approaching profitability ahead of others. The industry adage that "selling shovels is more profitable than gold mining" is increasingly proving true in the automotive field: while many new EV startups remain on the brink of survival with thin margins or outright losses, leading LiDAR manufacturers are demonstrating stronger profitability thanks to their technological moats and scaled deliveries. As the "eyes" of intelligent vehicles, LiDAR demand is rising alongside the adoption of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), making LiDAR suppliers among the most certain beneficiaries in the automotive supply chain.