It is statistically safer for cars using LIDAR, like Waymo. Tesla’s system is sleeker, but involves far more human risk.

We don’t know that. All of the players, including Waymo give out only partial data that makes a sound analysis impossible.

Lidar has problems too. It works quite well if there is a limited number of cars that use it too. Of course if all of those were Waymos you could synchronize sensors to not interfere with each other.

Of course if that fails, perhaps they could use honking as backup sensor.

Lidar also destroys camera sensors. That might become a huge problem in the future.

Optical filters have been around for awhile, including anti-lasers for cameras, though only for a few years.

The difficulty isn't sensing, Lidar is overkill thanks to advancements in technology since the DARPA grand challenge.