5 ms·

Seems like they're putting the cart before the horse no? Don't you need functioning level 5 self-driving technology before you start optimizing for something li

Seems like they're putting the cart before the horse no? Don't you need functioning level 5 self-driving technology before you start optimizing for something like rider experience? This seems to violate the classic startup maxim to 'focus on just one thing and get it right'

dmitrygr 8y ago
> This seems to violate > the classic startup maxim > to 'focus on just one > thing and get it right' And who said this maxim works? Lots of startups do a lot of things in common. Doesn't mean those are all good ideas
- cmuguythrow 8y ago
  You're right that this isn't a proven method of success, but the smell test seems to tell me that it's harder to do two very hard things than it is to do just one. They are simultaneously trying to redesign the auto experience AND invent a technology that doesn't exist. If doing one made the other easier, I would understand, but that doesn't seem to be the case. They are solving a problem that doesn't exist yet.
- RosanaAnaDana 8y ago
  Spent way too long trying to figure out if that was a limerick.
maxerickson 8y ago
That beautiful crate is pretty clearly optimized for investor story time.
- sempuki 8y ago
  Investors don't hand out money after looking at your github repo (though they do indeed do due diligence after becoming sufficiently impressed).
gibybo 8y ago
I don't think you need level 5, only level 4. The video demo seemed to imply that they actually had level 4.
vladislav 8y ago
Indeed. They're able to raise lots of cash with presentation skills, but in reality their business plan is completely bottlenecked on super reliable perception/intent prediction AI, on which they aren't showing evidence of an advantage.
- vasilipupkin 8y ago
  the reporter claims that the car drove without human assistance through San Francisco. If true, and it's a big if, it's fucking impressive if you ask me. Go ahead, ask me.
  - theossuary 8y ago
    Do that 100,000 times in different weather and road conditions and it's impressive, doing it once is just dangerous.
    - cornellwright 8y ago
      I'm not sure that most skilled drivers to could reliably drive through SF 100,000 times in all weather without some sort of incident. Autonomous would be more impressive.
    - vasilipupkin 8y ago
      hmmm. Presumably, they did it more than once before putting a reporter in the car and risking having him or her killed. how many companies that you know of that are working on self-driving cars have done this? had a reporter do a similar route in a car driving itself? I know nothing of this company but they are either completely insane or have a high degree of confidence in their product, or the reporter is lying. I have no reason to suspect the reporter of lying in this case.
  - lettergram 8y ago
    I've seen autonomous cars in SF before, even saw an Uber one run a red light... for what it's worth. They definitely test in SF.
  - 8y ago

dmitrygr 8y ago

> This seems to violate > the classic startup maxim > to 'focus on just one > thing and get it right' And who said this maxim works? Lots of startups do a lot of things in common. Doesn't mean those are all good ideas

cmuguythrow 8y ago
You're right that this isn't a proven method of success, but the smell test seems to tell me that it's harder to do two very hard things than it is to do just one. They are simultaneously trying to redesign the auto experience AND invent a technology that doesn't exist. If doing one made the other easier, I would understand, but that doesn't seem to be the case. They are solving a problem that doesn't exist yet.
RosanaAnaDana 8y ago
Spent way too long trying to figure out if that was a limerick.

maxerickson 8y ago

That beautiful crate is pretty clearly optimized for investor story time.

sempuki 8y ago
Investors don't hand out money after looking at your github repo (though they do indeed do due diligence after becoming sufficiently impressed).

gibybo 8y ago

I don't think you need level 5, only level 4. The video demo seemed to imply that they actually had level 4.

vladislav 8y ago

Indeed. They're able to raise lots of cash with presentation skills, but in reality their business plan is completely bottlenecked on super reliable perception/intent prediction AI, on which they aren't showing evidence of an advantage.

vasilipupkin 8y ago
the reporter claims that the car drove without human assistance through San Francisco. If true, and it's a big if, it's fucking impressive if you ask me. Go ahead, ask me.
- theossuary 8y ago
  Do that 100,000 times in different weather and road conditions and it's impressive, doing it once is just dangerous.
  - cornellwright 8y ago
    I'm not sure that most skilled drivers to could reliably drive through SF 100,000 times in all weather without some sort of incident. Autonomous would be more impressive.
  - vasilipupkin 8y ago
    hmmm. Presumably, they did it more than once before putting a reporter in the car and risking having him or her killed. how many companies that you know of that are working on self-driving cars have done this? had a reporter do a similar route in a car driving itself? I know nothing of this company but they are either completely insane or have a high degree of confidence in their product, or the reporter is lying. I have no reason to suspect the reporter of lying in this case.
- lettergram 8y ago
  I've seen autonomous cars in SF before, even saw an Uber one run a red light... for what it's worth. They definitely test in SF.
- 8y ago