https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/6/18252561/waymo-sell-lidar-laser-sensor-av-customer-robot-taxi-competition > Waymo, the self-driving unit of Google parent Alphabet, will begin selling its LIDAR sensors to customers who won’t compete with its robot taxi business, the company announced on Wednesday. The news was first reported by Bloomberg. > LIDAR, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging, are laser sensors that most tech and car companies see as an essential component for self-driving cars. The sensors are placed on the roofs of autonomous vehicles as well as the sides and grilles where they send out thousands of laser points to map the surrounding environment.