Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is going forward with mass-producing an all-electric, self-driving Apple Car. This has widespread implications, because — as we noted earlier this month — Apple won’t build the Apple Car by itself. The company will use outside vendors to supply critical hardware for the Apple Car. We believe one such vendor could be LiDAR maker Luminar Technologies (NASDAQ:LAZR), and that is one of the reasons we’ve been so bullish on LAZR stock.
On Friday, Feb. 19, Bloomberg all but confirmed that is the case.
Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reported that Apple is, indeed, in talks with LiDAR makers to include their sensors in the Apple Car. The report implied that Apple has yet to decide on a specific LiDAR maker and is continuing to have discussions with various suppliers.
There is a high probability that, when all is said and done, Luminar will be company that Apple settles on — and therefore, “Apple Car supplier” is very likely in Luminar’s future.
Undoubtedly, the Apple Car will be a big hit. That’s a big reason to buy LAZR stock.
Here’s a deeper look.
Luminar Is the Best LiDAR Maker
When Apple builds something, they make it a very high-quality product, with the highest-quality components. So, when it comes to the Apple Car, Apple will likely pick the best LiDAR in the market.
Who makes the best LiDAR in the world?
Luminar.
Relative to other LiDAR sensors, Luminar’s LiDAR have the:
- Longest range, at over 250 meters of visibility at 5% reflectivity.
- Best resolution, with over 300 points per square degree at 10 Hertz.
- Best performance in adverse weather.
- Least interference from other LiDAR and/or sunlight.
It’s the best long-range LiDAR on the planet. It just happens to be the lowest-cost LiDAR, too, as Luminar is the only LiDAR maker in the world that is able to integrate its LiDAR sensors in a vehicle for under $1,000.
There really is no competition here. Luminar is the best LiDAR maker in the world.
Apple won’t partner with the second-best for the Apple Car. They’ll pick the best. And the best is Luminar. That’s a big positive for LAZR stock.
Apple Car Will Be a Hit
Luminar winning an Apple Car supplier partnership would be big for two reasons.
One, the Apple Car will be a hit.
Apple is Apple. This is the company behind the world’s most popular consumer hardware products, like the iPhone, Mac, iPad and Apple Watch. This is a company with nearly $200 billion in cash on its balance sheet, and about 150,000 highly-qualified employees…
Now, this company – with the most experience in the world, the most money in the world, and the most engineering and design talent in the world – is going to make a car.
This Apple Car has the potential to be truly disruptive… and turn into an enormous hit like the iPhone.
Two, the partnership will be a huge vote of confidence from the world’s largest technology company. Other auto OEMs will take note. Luminar should be able to leverage this partnership win to sign-on multiple other auto OEMs over the next few years.
To that end, Luminar winning the Apple Car contract could be the beginning of an avalanche of new contracts for the LiDAR maker. As all those contracts roll in, LAZR stock will keep pushing higher.
Bottom Line on LAZR Stock
The self-driving revolution has arrived. One of the best ways to play this revolution is by buying perception technology companies. The most important component of the self-driving hardware perception stack is LiDAR, and the best LiDAR maker in the world is Luminar.
On that basis alone, LAZR stock is a great long-term investment. The Apple Car catalyst just adds more firepower to the bull thesis.
But it’s not the best growth stock to buy today.
Instead, the best growth stock to buy today is a company which reminds me of a young Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN). Indeed, I think buying this stock today could be like buying AMZN stock back in 1997 — before it soared thousands of percent.
Which stock am I talking about?
Click here to find out.
On the date of publication, Luke Lango did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.
By uncovering early investments in hypergrowth industries, Luke Lango puts you on the ground-floor of world-changing megatrends. It’s how his Daily 10X Report has averaged up to a ridiculous 100% return across all recommendations since launching last May. Click here to see how he does it.