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Maybe, the problem right now is that there is no module that Tesla can purchase and use on their cars. All the Lidar modules currently in use are these large an
by jturpin 6y ago
Maybe, the problem right now is that there is no module that Tesla can purchase and use on their cars. All the Lidar modules currently in use are these large and more importantly expensive spinning devices mounted on top of the car. These make sense for robotaxis, where cost and unsightliness are not an issue, but not an option for Tesla right now. I believe a couple companies have made headway with cheaper, smaller (solid state?) devices that might be an option in the near future, but these are just recent developments.
- trog 6y agoHow about laser rangefinders? Even one of them in the centre of the vehicle in the direction of travel would be useful for high speed impact avoidance - well, assuming they work reliably and how I think they do; I'm not a hardware guy. But would a laser rangefinder pointing forward be useful? They're not that big and bulky and should at least be useful for braking when it detects something closing too rapidly...?
- bentcorner 6y agoJust spitballing but would those have problems in rain/fog/smoke?
- sukilot 6y agoYou know what a smart driver does in rain/fog/smoke? Slow down.
- bentcorner 6y agoI guess I should be more clear - I'm guessing (but I could be wrong) that a laser rangefinder would consider heavy rain/fog/smoke to be a solid barrier and wouldn't slow down, it'd stop.
- trog 6y agoThat would be my guess too.. but that's probably what you want to happen if automated sensors are unable to perceive the world around them - slow and stop the car until a human takes over again...?
- mprovost 6y agoLidar is a laser rangefinder.
- clouddrover 6y agoProduction cars have had LiDAR before now. Audi has a LiDAR system. Volvo will be implementing LiDAR for their cars by 2022: https://spectrum.ieee.org/cars-that-think/transportation/self-driving/the-audi-a8-the-worlds-first-production-car-to-achieve-level-3-autonomy https://spectrum.ieee.org/cars-that-think/transportation/sel... https://www.wired.com/story/vw-audi-aid-luminar-lidar-self-driving/ https://www.wired.com/story/vw-audi-aid-luminar-lidar-self-d... https://www.audiusa.com/technology/intelligence/adaptive-cruise-assist https://www.audiusa.com/technology/intelligence/adaptive-cru... https://jalopnik.com/volvo-plans-to-be-the-first-to-include-lidar-on-a-produ-1843290085 https://jalopnik.com/volvo-plans-to-be-the-first-to-include-...
- jturpin 6y agoThat's a good point, I didn't know Audi was shipping a model with Lidar out and the price point is around where the Tesla's are. Certainly the reasons to not include Lidar are dropping.
- threeseed 6y agoThis is the plan for the Cruise self driving car with LiDAR: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/22/technology/cruise-gm-self-driving-car.html https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/22/technology/cruise-gm-self... Doesn't look unsightly to me. Also given that every car company and self driving car uses LiDAR suggests that over time the costs will come due to economies of scale. Also are people not forgetting that Tesla charges a massive premium for Autopilot ? People are willing to pay a lot for self driving more than enough to cover the cost of the LiDAR sensor.
- icelancer 6y ago>> Doesn't look unsightly to me. Also given that every car company and self driving car uses LiDAR suggests that over time the costs will come due to economies of scale. This has been predicted for radar units over optical in other industries. It never happened. Optical became cheap and capable, radar stayed slow and expensive. I see no reason why this would change in car manufacturing.