Rivian (RIVN) is considering manufacturing its own lidar sensors in the United States, potentially through a partnership with Chinese firms. The move is part of Rivian's strategy to vertically integrate its entire autonomous driving stack, which already includes custom silicon chips and proprietary AI software. This move would make the company one of the most vertically integrated players in autonomous driving outside of Tesla and Waymo. The company's CEO, RJ Scaringe, confirmed that the company is in discussions with lidar firms about producing sensors domestically rather than directly purchasing from Chinese suppliers. This strategy aligns with Tesla's approach to developing in-house chips and sensors, while Waymo uses a multi-sensor approach but buys components from suppliers. The potential impact of this move could extend beyond Rivian alone, as other automakers are considering shared production capacity outside China.