Featured LIDAR business practices

My first radar equipped Prius was a 2017 Prime. On the delivery home, I drove on I-81 headed South of Wilkes-Barre:

When we ascended into the clouds, the local traffic did not slow down. So I briefly thought, "Cloud fog, no problem, I have radar." Then I realized I had no way to tell how far and precise the radar was. The same was true later with my Tesla.

So I used the part number to find the angular resolution and distance of the radar model in my model year Tesla and realized I still did not know the actual alignment of my car's radar. It is invisible to human eye. Are their shops that measure radar "alignment?"

Tesla dropped radar from the self driving stack in May 2021. Autopilot had been somewhat random in some driving situations like emergency braking from cars at joining lanes. The first release was 'exciting' but more consistent. The second update restored previous service but now, consistent.

As explained, radar and optics would sometimes disagree. For example, radar is subject to "multipath" distortions and metal plates like expansion joints and road work. It was always a coin toss whether the camera or radar would dictate the AutoPilot response. By the 3d release, camera driven AutoPilot became more consistent and accurate. Radar was inducing or masking errors in the camera sensor inputs.

Others are welcome to hail radar as good enough for their vehicles. Personal experience, it was not good enough for Tesla AutoPilot.

Bob Wilson

 

I no longer fly but notice GPS landing systems with electronic maps are very accurate and reliable. For example when I picked up my last airplane in 2012, someone had landed in virtually zero-zero conditions and that was my first exposure to it.

GPS is more accurate now as are the electronic maps. I would have no problem with a GPS landing as it would be more automated and accurate than radar. Radar for rain detection makes sense but otherwise, I would have no use compared to today's GPS.

Bob Wilson