Inaccurate or missing speed limit data: Tesla should be able to read speed limit signs in real time!

[carl_o]

While I'm very impressed with Tesla's Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Capability, I'm more than disappointed that Tesla's speed limit data is wrong or missing 20-25% of the time when I'm driving on city streets and 2-lane roads in North Florida. My 2016 Volvo can read speed limit signs with about 95% accuracy. Why doesn't my Tesla Model 3, that has five forward-facing cameras and can out perform Volvo in every other measure, have this basic functionality?

I use cruise control 90% of the time when I'm driving to keep from speeding. There are a number of city streets where the posted limit is 25 and Tesla thinks it's 35. Tesla has no data for other streets. Tesla doesn't have a speed limit for a local toll road opened two years ago, which limits my speed in auto-steer to less than the posted speed limit. These are annoyances that I wouldn't expect when driving a Tesla! Am I the only Tesla owner bothered by this?

 

[Knightshade]

Allegedly the issue is Mobileye has a patent on doing this (and Tesla and Mobileye haven't exactly been cordial since the AP1 breakup- AP1 did read speed limit signs).

US20080137908A1 - Detecting and recognizing traffic signs - Google Patents

That said- even if that's the issue, they're pretty much not going to have a choice but to be able to do this for FSD, either by paying $ to ME or working around the patent... so if they're gonna roll it out at all it'll likely be before end of year (but might only roll out to cars who paid for FSD)

 

[carl_o]

Allegedly the issue is Mobileye has a patent on doing this (and Tesla and Mobileye haven't exactly been cordial since the AP1 breakup- AP1 did read speed limit signs).

US20080137908A1 - Detecting and recognizing traffic signs - Google Patents

That said- even if that's the issue, they're pretty much not going to have a choice but to be able to do this for FSD, either by paying $ to ME or working around the patent... so if they're gonna roll it out at all it'll likely be before end of year (but might only roll out to cars who paid for FSD)

Thanks for the info! I agree they're going to have to read all sorts of road signs to implement FSD.

Do you have any idea where Tesla gets it's speed limit data or if there's a mechanism for updating or correcting this database.

 

[dfwatt]

While I'm very impressed with Tesla's Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Capability, I'm more than disappointed that Tesla's speed limit data is wrong or missing 20-25% of the time when I'm driving on city streets and 2-lane roads in North Florida. My 2016 Volvo can read speed limit signs with about 95% accuracy. Why doesn't my Tesla Model 3, that has five forward-facing cameras and can out perform Volvo in every other measure, have this basic functionality?

I use cruise control 90% of the time when I'm driving to keep from speeding. There are a number of city streets where the posted limit is 25 and Tesla thinks it's 35. Tesla has no data for other streets. Tesla doesn't have a speed limit for a local toll road opened two years ago, which limits my speed in auto-steer to less than the posted speed limit. These are annoyances that I wouldn't expect when driving a Tesla! Am I the only Tesla owner bothered by this?

Earlier versions of firmware seemed better at this, the current version, 2019.12.1.2 (I think) and the previous two seem to struggle to read more than about 70% of the stop signs. I haven't really tracked it carefully, so I am just guessing here, but it's clear that there is a decrement relative to its functioning some months ago. Not sure why?

 

[Nocturnal]

Allegedly the issue is Mobileye has a patent on doing this (and Tesla and Mobileye haven't exactly been cordial since the AP1 breakup- AP1 did read speed limit signs).

US20080137908A1 - Detecting and recognizing traffic signs - Google Patents

That said- even if that's the issue, they're pretty much not going to have a choice but to be able to do this for FSD, either by paying $ to ME or working around the patent... so if they're gonna roll it out at all it'll likely be before end of year (but might only roll out to cars who paid for FSD)

FSD will just read the signs.

 

[pdxgibby]

Allegedly the issue is Mobileye has a patent on doing this (and Tesla and Mobileye haven't exactly been cordial since the AP1 breakup- AP1 did read speed limit signs).

US20080137908A1 - Detecting and recognizing traffic signs - Google Patents

That said- even if that's the issue, they're pretty much not going to have a choice but to be able to do this for FSD, either by paying $ to ME or working around the patent... so if they're gonna roll it out at all it'll likely be before end of year (but might only roll out to cars who paid for FSD)

This is why AP1 cars can do it to near perfection. They are all running MobileEye hardware/software. FSD is going to have to rely on hyper accurate map data (which they cannot get) or figure a way to maneuver around the patent. I think they have a way around it though...MobileEye's patent uses a single camera and sequential frames to identify the sign. Tesla could use multiple cameras and a single frame from each to identify the sign.

 

[richtrav]

The BMW i3's KAFAS camera can read speed limit signs pretty well, though I don't know if Mobileye is involved with them

 

[eladts]

The BMW i3's KAFAS camera can read speed limit signs pretty well, though I don't know if Mobileye is involved with them

Yes, they are.

Intel's Mobileye Self-Driving Vehicle Systems To Go Into 2 Million BMW, Nissan, & Volkswagen Cars Over The Near Term

 

[Kant.Ing]

Yes, Mobileye, the only system that can recognize traffic signs around the world not only US.

 

[Gwgan]

My AP1 car used to read signs, now it seems to not some times and gets things wrong since the maps are not accurate. Really looking forward to time based signs being utilized. When I park at my house the app lists my address in the neighboring town and the loot box leaderboard shows me living on a deer path in the woods (which google has fixed and broken and fixed and broken over the years) so IMO maps are not the way to go.

 

[hallucinate]

This is great information albeit a little discouraging. Interpreting signs accurately is clearly a table-stake I thought Tesla had in the bag already. It is absolutely one that has to be in place for L5 autonomy... hyper accurate map data will never be sufficient.

 

[lolder]

Anything in public release past AP1 does not yet read signs. The speed limits are in the maps data base. It's coming.