> The crux of the argument is you will still need the algorithmic complexity in the end with or without LIDAR, so it doesn't add any advantage. The approach de

> The crux of the argument is you will still need the algorithmic complexity in the end with or without LIDAR, so it doesn't add any advantage. The approach described still uses the same ML on a Lidar data representation, but with an extra step on image recognition to put it into that data format. Image recognition only adds computational complexity post-hardware-sensor because you first need to generate a Lidar-like 3D map. So that is conceivably an advantage for Lidar in the long run given that its method for making the 3D representation of the space (upon which the ML runs) is dirt-simple physics-wise—much simpler than the image recognition algorithms and camera electronics used by image recognition. It's just not cheap yet because the market for processors and cameras is huge and the products have become incredibly sophisticated and cheap. Again, hard to imagine an idea as simple as Lidar not getting much cheaper with scale. > I'll just paste the quote FTA My point wasn't an ad hominem one, so I don't think the fact that an expert like Karpathy said "crutch" changes the fact that it's slanted phrasing. But given that Karpathy works for Tesla and has a vested interest in assuaging investors and consumers, it makes sense why he used slanted phrasing. "Lidar is a crutch" makes Tesla sound more visionary than "we don't want to pay for Lidar because it's still too expensive and we think we'll be able to rival Lidar with image recognition." It's a nice way to subtly jab at competitors who are investing in Lidar and frame it as if Lidar was the tech that had catching up to do (when, in fact, the opposite is true). Since the key point of the article is that ML algorithms work better with Lidar data representations, it's pretty hard to see it any other way. They both go to the same intermediate data representation, and Lidar still wins in a head-to-head. Again, you can argue validly that cameras + image recognition will be good enough, but calling Lidar a "crutch" seems like pro-Tesla spin by a high-up Tesla employee whose job is to make Tesla look good.