TL;DR

A Tesla on Autopilot failed a simple “fake wall” test, exposing a critical flaw in its camera-only approach. History shows putting all your eggs in one basket—whether it’s subprime mortgages or sensor technology—can have devastating consequences.

Story

Imagine Wile E. Coyote painting a tunnel on a wall, only to watch the Road Runner zip right through. Now, replace the Road Runner with a Tesla and you’ve got today’s self-driving car problem. A recent test showed a camera-reliant Tesla plowing straight into a fake wall at 40 mph, while a LiDAR-equipped Lexus stopped safely. Why? The Tesla’s cameras got fooled. It saw a flat image, not a 3D obstacle.

This seemingly cartoonish test exposes a crucial flaw in Tesla’s approach to self-driving tech. They’ve bet big on cameras, while others like Waymo incorporate multiple sensor types (LiDAR, radar, cameras). Like diversifying your investments, using different sensors gives you a more complete picture.

The human cost? Imagine relying on your “self-driving” car in rain or fog (conditions where cameras struggle) and facing a similar scenario. The consequences could be catastrophic.

This over-reliance on one technology reminds me of the 2008 housing crisis. Everyone thought housing prices could only go up. They were wrong. Just like betting solely on cameras might be a dangerous gamble for Tesla.

‣ LiDAR: Light Detection and Ranging. A sensor that uses lasers to measure distances. ‣ Radar: Radio Detection and Ranging. A sensor that uses radio waves to detect objects and their speed. ‣ Sensor Fusion: Combining data from different sensors (LiDAR, radar, cameras) to get a more complete and accurate understanding of the environment.

Advice

Don’t be fooled by flashy tech demos. Look under the hood. Due diligence means understanding the limitations of any single technology—especially when your life depends on it.

Source

https://www.reddit.com/r/stocks/comments/1jd0civ/self_driving_car_test_comparing_cameras_vs_lidar/