Robocars
The future of computer-driven cars and deliverbots
Tesla is crazy not to use maps
Submitted by brad on Thu, 2022-02-10 01:04Every time I compare Tesla with other contenders, people will say things to the effect of "they don't count, they use maps so they can only drive in tiny regions" because they think that's a bug rather than a feature.
Maps are super useful, and a car that can try to drive without a map is a car that can make a map, and so maps scale just fine and help you drive more roads, rather than fewer.
So I made a video outlining the virtues of maps, why they are cheap, and why it's OK if construction changes the road after you map it.
California Disengagement Reports tell us a little more
Submitted by brad on Wed, 2022-02-09 17:36There isn't usually too much learned from these reports, but we can compare year to year, so here are some things learned this time:
NHTSA forces Tesla to turn off rolling stop option in FSD prototype -- that's a very bad new power for NHTSA
Submitted by brad on Tue, 2022-02-01 14:07The feds (NHTSA) are forcing Tesla to do a recall (software update, really) to disable the ability for the FSD prototype to do rolling stops at empty intersections. That turns out to be a surprising bold exercise of regulatory power, and probably a terrible idea, no matter how bad Tesla is. (Almost.) Full details in a new column on the situation, but there's a ton of nuance to this.
Analysis of MobilEye strategy in robocars and video interview with CEO Amnon Shashua
Submitted by brad on Tue, 2022-01-25 13:30It doesn't get as much coverage as others, but MobilEye has amassed an impressive portfolio of components to give them a shot at the robotaxi and robocar world (one of the few with a shot at both.)
Today I release both a new article with my analysis of their strategy and components, and also a video I made of an interview with Amnon Shashua, the founder and CEO of MobilEye, which is now a unit of Intel but will be spun out soon as a public company again.
Two self-driving shuttle companies die in a week, but there's good news
Submitted by brad on Tue, 2022-01-18 14:01Last week saw Optimus Ride get sold for acqui-hire, and Local Motors shutting its doors. There are reasons why self-driving shuttles aren't that interesting right now, but that's going to change, and small van-sized vehicles are probably the future of group transportation.
Read why in my Forbes site story at Two self-driving shuttle companies die in a week, but there's good news
I get and review Tesla FSD -- and give it an F
Submitted by brad on Thu, 2022-01-13 14:53Well, I finally got to try Tesla FSD, and it was a big disappointment. From a robocar developer's viewpoint, it sucks and I give it an F.
I made a video review and a text one. The text one contains the review part of the video and lots more information. The video has the 3.5 mile sample ride around Apple HQ, full of mistakes.
Read the text review on Forbes.com at I get and review Tesla FSD -- and give it an F
2021 Year in Review for Robocars
Submitted by brad on Mon, 2022-01-03 10:33We cam finally do away with the accursed beep-beep
Submitted by brad on Mon, 2021-12-27 12:24I wrote before about the accursed "beep beep" that big machines make when they back up -- and even a few cars. There is an answer to it, and that answer has just come out of patent. So what can we do to ban the beep and make safer systems that don't destroy the peace and quiet of the air?
Read about that in this Forbes.com story at We cam finally do away with the accursed beep-beep
3 At-fault accidents involving Robocars and what they mean
Submitted by brad on Thu, 2021-12-23 12:02In a short period we saw 3 at-fault accidents involving robocars (with one being purely the fault of the safety driver) and we're going to see more. We're going to have to learn how to deal with them, to tell the difference between serious error that says a team has deployed too early, and the accidents that will happen with miles because perfection is not a possible goal.
GM CEO Mary Barra fires Cruise CEO over robotaxi/car sales battle
Submitted by brad on Mon, 2021-12-20 13:03I have often written about the debate between the robotaxi vision of self-driving and the private car sales vision. That debate got writ large last week with the firing of Cruise CEO Dan Ammann over his desire to push the robotaxi vision (and some other differences of view.)
I write about it on Forbes.com in GM CEO Mary Barra fires Cruise CEO over robotaxi/car sales battle
Mercedes Gets Approval For Traffic Jam Pilot, Where Is Tesla?
Submitted by brad on Mon, 2021-12-13 14:16Mercedez-Benz has announced approval of their “Drive Pilot” system, in Germany. Tesla, on the other hand, doesn't do this because of their focus on the far-off goal of a "full" self-driving product. What does a traffic jam pilot really mean, and what could Tesla be doing if they weren't putting so much focus on the still far-off FSD?
I consider this my my new Forbes site article Mercedes Gets Approval For Traffic Jam Pilot, Where Is Tesla?
The milestones of a robotaxi business
Submitted by brad on Wed, 2021-12-08 12:53How can we tell how far along a robotaxi project is? They don't let us look under the hood, so we have to observe their real bets and milestones.
I've made a list of a rough order for the milestones. Most teams have far to go.
See Milestones of a robotaxi business at Forbes.com
Pick-up and Drop-off are big challenges for robotaxis - so much that SF's MTA opposes Cruise operation
Submitted by brad on Mon, 2021-12-06 11:56In an earlier article, I noted that Cruise, in demonstrating their first robotaxi rides with no safety driver, did all the pick-up an drop-off by just stopping in the lane (late at night.) This is something many Uber drivers do as well, but it's not technically legal. Cruise is doing things one step at a time, but the SF MTA doesn't like that and filed an opposition to them getting a permit to operate the service with the public (currently they just do employees.)
Here's a Forbes.com article on the issues with doing pick-up and drop-off.
Waymo uses imaging radar to see through the fog
Submitted by brad on Tue, 2021-11-23 11:04Posted last week was my Forbes site story on Waymo's no imaging radar. They don't give a lot of details, but I explain what it means:
Cruise goes under the hood and talks about their technology
Submitted by brad on Thu, 2021-11-04 20:40Two big milestones for Cruise this week, with two stories:
First, they started unmanned operations at night in San Francisco, and give their first taxi ride with no safety driver to founder Kyle Vogt. GM employees are now using Cruise vehicles as taxis.
How good a business is running a robotaxi?
Submitted by brad on Mon, 2021-10-25 10:45Most of the major players want to run a robotaxi business -- Uber style ride service using robocars. Yet some have started to wonder if this is the best business model, or if it's even a good one, while companies invest billions in it.
In this new article on Forbes.com I investigate some of these questions and why the players are investing these sum, and what sort of profits they might make.
WeRide safety driver caught napping -- why is this still happening? Plus new LIDAR
Submitted by brad on Wed, 2021-10-13 15:26A video shows a WeRide safety driver apparently sleeping on the job on Highway 85 in San Jose. After Uber's fatality 3 years ago, are some operators still not monitoring driver attention?
I asked WeRide and learned only part of the answer at WeRide safety driver caught napping -- why is this still happening?
Most Self-Driving Demonstrations Are Theater, Here’s How To Make Them More Real
Submitted by brad on Wed, 2021-10-06 11:49You have probably seen many demonstration videos of self-driving cars navigating the roads with aplomb. They show us a little about what the system can do but as long as they are cherry picked, they don't really tell us how the team is doing.
They could do better if they drive a random road at a pre-announced random time and stream it live, so there can be no cherry picking. Time to start.
NHTSA investigates Tesla crashes into emergency vehicles, what does it all mean?
Submitted by brad on Mon, 2021-09-20 12:33NHTSA is investigating 12 crashes by Teslas on Autopilot into emergency vehicles on the side of the road. It's also asking the other companies who make products like Autopilot for their statistics. What can be done to prevent these crashes, and are any number of them acceptable? Is Tesla doing things wrong or doing it better than anybody else? We may learn that and the issues are complex.
I discuss them in this new Forbes.com article: