Hesai Lidar, Declared Military by Pentagon, Quietly Populates American Robotaxis
Hesai, Shanghai-based lidar manufacturer (sensor for robotaxi vision), quietly supplies sensors to American robotaxis, trucks, and even airports. Note that the Pentagon listed Hesai on the Chinese military companies blacklist, yet this did not prevent it from becoming a supplier for autonomous vehicles. NVIDIA is one of the partners using Hesai sensors.
AI-processed from TNW; edited by Hamidun News
A CNBC investigation revealed a paradox: Chinese company Hesai, officially classified by the U.S. Department of Defense as a military company, continues to supply critical components for American autonomous weapons and logistics systems.
What Hesai Does
Hesai manufactures LiDAR sensors, which are the "eyes" of autonomous machines. LiDAR technology (Light Detection and Ranging) is critical for:
- Detecting obstacles
- Mapping the surrounding environment
- Navigation in 3D space
- Avoiding emergency situations
Penetration into the US Despite Sanctions
Hesai sensors are used in:
- Robomobiles and robotaxis
- Autonomous trucks
- Airport delivery and monitoring systems
- NVIDIA remains one of its partners
Although the company is on the U.S. Department of Defense's blacklist due to connections to military industry, sanctions have not blocked its supplies to the civilian segment.
Geopolitical Consequences
This story illustrates the complexity of global technology supply chains:
- Lack of differentiation between civilian and military applications
- Difficulty tracking components
- Attempts to circumvent political restrictions
What This Means
The Hesai story demonstrates the tension between the U.S. effort to restrict China's access to AI technologies and the reality of global supply chains, where clean division between civilian and military is impossible.
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