LiDAR for dark rooms, no contest.

Camera-based navigation needs light to see. LiDAR uses lasers. If your vacuum runs at night or under furniture, LiDAR wins every time.

Some higher-end camera vacs have built-in LEDs, but they still struggle in total darkness or complex shadows. LiDAR doesn’t blink. It maps your room using invisible laser pulses, same tech as self-driving cars. It works equally well at 2 AM with the lights off.

The tradeoff: LiDAR units usually add a bump on top (the spinning tower), making the vacuum taller. Camera-based ones are flatter and slide under low couches. But for performance in the dark? LiDAR is the easy call.

So pick LiDAR if you vacuum at night. Pick cameras if you vacuum when the lights are on and need that low profile.