Samsung Electro-Mechanics and LG Innotek Reportedly Win Tesla Cybercab Camera Module Orders
N.R. Finch
Samsung Electro-Mechanics and LG Innotek have secured all initial Cybercab camera module orders, covering an estimated 20,000–30,000 vehicles, according to Korean media — but a rival report says LG Innotek's deal is still under negotiation, leaving a key question open for the Korean supply chain's robotaxi ambitions.
How big is this order, and who got what share?
Korea Economic Daily reports that Samsung Electro-Mechanics and LG Innotek won all initial camera module orders for Tesla's Cybercab, covering 20,000–30,000 vehicles in early production.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics began mass production in July; LG Innotek is expected to start by end of 2026.
The report disclosed neither the contract value nor the split between the two suppliers. This means → there is no way to tell which is the lead supplier and which is the backup.
What does the jump to 5-megapixel cameras mean?
Tesla requires a 5-megapixel CMOS image sensor — a chip that converts light into electrical signals — for Cybercab, a 4×-plus upgrade over the 1.2-megapixel sensor used in older Hardware 3 vehicles.
This means → the camera captures far more visual detail, and it is the core data input for the self-driving software to identify roads, vehicles, pedestrians, and traffic signals.
In plain terms = higher pixels give the car sharper "eyes," directly raising the bar for what a vision-only autonomous driving system demands from its cameras.
Is LG Innotek's order actually confirmed?
EBN, another Korean outlet, contradicts Korea Economic Daily: it sees Samsung Electro-Mechanics as the more likely supplier but describes LG Innotek as still in talks with Tesla, with no confirmed order.
Both companies declined to comment on specific customers. Samsung Electro-Mechanics mentioned robotaxi and humanoid-robot camera opportunities on its Q2 earnings call but named no client and confirmed no deal.
This reflects inconsistent sourcing across Korean media. For investors, the takeaway is clear: LG Innotek's Cybercab order is not a confirmed fact — it is disputed information.
What has Samsung Electro-Mechanics actually said on the record?
Its official Q2 materials show growing automotive camera revenue and shipments of high-resolution sensing and all-weather cameras to a "global EV maker."
For Q3, it plans to supply dedicated products for a "global EV client's next-generation platform" and to begin pilot production of high-resolution sensing modules for humanoid robots — again, no client named.
In plain terms = Samsung Electro-Mechanics hints at Tesla throughout its earnings materials but never names the company — a standard supplier practice when the major customer has not authorized disclosure.
What bigger bet are the Korean suppliers making?
Both Samsung Electro-Mechanics and LG Innotek are major smartphone camera module makers now pivoting into automotive sensing, robotics, and physical AI.
In July, LG Innotek partnered with Japan's TDK to develop next-generation vision-sensing modules integrating cameras, inertial sensors, position sensors, and microphones; the first product is expected in 2027. LG Innotek is also advancing a multi-sensor fusion system combining cameras, lidar, and millimeter-wave radar, and has expanded collaboration with Boston Dynamics and other robotics firms.
This means → the Cybercab order itself is modest in scale, but it serves as a landmark entry point for Korean suppliers to shift from "phone component vendors" to "physical-AI sensing platform providers."
Where does Cybercab production actually stand?
Tesla confirmed in its Q2 update that Cybercab production has started at the Texas Gigafactory; engineering test vehicles are on public roads, and employee ride services on campus began in July.
Tesla's published annualized installed capacity exceeds 125,000 vehicles, but it cautions that installed capacity does not equal actual output — the latter depends on parts supply, equipment uptime, factory upgrades, and regulatory factors.
In plain terms = the line is built and cars are running, but full-scale delivery still faces multiple variables — and suppliers' order cadence will fluctuate with every one of them.
Content is for reference only, not financial advice.