I always like when someone smarter and more successful than me agrees with something I said long ago.
In this case, the head of Waymo made clear that cameras are not enough, self-driving cars need to make use of all sorts of sensors and data.
Waymo’s top software executive didn’t directly name Tesla or Elon Musk in a new blog post — but his intentions were clear. Source: In a swipe at Tesla, Waymo says ‘cameras… aren’t enough’ | The Verge
A massive blind spot
I’ve said a few times, Musk was stupid (and egotistical) to think he could get by with just cameras on his cars. I have a car with eyes (for lane guidance) and ears (front radar and ultrasound all around) and am grateful for that. What’s more, I might drive with my eye, of course, but I also drive with my hands, to feel the road and car performance, and ears, listening to my car and the cars around me.
And as for sensors in general, the biologist in me knows that animals make use of all sorts of sensors to navigate the world, stay alive, and hunt. As I say over and over again, why hobble our cars just because someone has some stupid idea of what cars need?
Heck, I’d trust a horse more than a camera-only Tesla.
