FCC Filing Indicates Tesla Plans to Equip Its Cars With Radar Again ⇥ electrek.co

Fred Lambert, Electrek:

Tesla believes that the best way to replicate that is through cameras to replace the eyes and neural nets running on a computer to replace the brain.

The company removed the radars on its vehicles last year and the ultrasonic sensors earlier this year.

That’s why it was surprising earlier this year when we reported on Tesla filing with the FCC to use a new radar in its vehicles. The FCC had granted a confidential treatment to Tesla in order not to release the details of the new radar.

In a letter to the FCC posted by Tony DeLuca, a Tesla certification engineer says it will be rolling out this radar-equipped vehicle in mid-January. It is perhaps an indication that a cameras-only approach may be a roadblock to more capable autonomous driving.

It turns out truly self-piloting cars along arbitrary and varied routes may be a more difficult problem than some people have suggested. I am still betting against it being introduced in my lifetime. I like my odds.