Mobileye rips Tesla Autopilot, Chairman says it dumped Tesla

[Electroman]

The Florida crash brought negative publicity to Tesla only. MobileEye was not impacted at all by any negative press or public perceptions. It was all on Tesla.

The situation was such that as
long as AP had no incidents MBLY reaped the glory. On all the accidents and incidents only Tesla was blamed as pushing the system aggressively.

So this is all a bull *sugar* stance from MBLY.

 

[xav-]

Just because tesla was more negatively impacted doesn't mean that Mobileye was not impacted at all. Main reason why both guys died is because the Mobileye system failed to detect the stationary vehicle.

 

[andrewket]

Hmm, I wonder if the $500 price increase for AP had anything to do with the Tesla/MobileEye relationship ending. Perhaps Tesla isn't receiving as favorable terms for the rest of the contract; paying more per unit. The prince increase was to cover those costs.

 

[PtG62901]

If Tesla, the most innovative company in the USA, thought Mobileye tech would get them autonomous cars, they would still be partners. If you are playing Mobileye stock, time to be a little afraid, the people with skin in the game have moved on.

 

[sandpiper]

Hmm, I wonder if the $500 price increase for AP had anything to do with the Tesla/MobileEye relationship ending. Perhaps Tesla isn't receiving as favorable terms for the rest of the contract; paying more per unit. The prince increase was to cover those costs.

Tesla Responds in Spat With Former Partner Mobileye

Given Tesla's subsequent comments about Mobileye, I certainly can't see them offering any good customer discounts. I see both sides of this. Mobileye provided Tesla the technology to get their AP going. But at the same time Tesla was developing their own in house solution. Undoubtedly they learned something from Mobileye - although there's plenty of comptuer vision experience in Silicon valley so maybe that's overstated.

In any case Mobileye probably feel that they taught Tesla how to do this and now Tesla's gone on to do their own thing; Mobileye is p'd off, as most people would be in that situation. Mobileye is nervous, probably concerned that the concepts that their business is founded on are becoming public knowledge, and so they bet big, hoping that they could coerce Tesla into abandoning their own program. They lost and now they're even more p'd off. And now they're rationalizing to themselves that they didn't like Tesla to begin with - that they were stretching the technology unsafely.

 

[McRat]

Bad idea for Mobileye. When you halt a vendor or customer relationship, always keep it a cordial as possible, or at least just STFU.

Time goes on. Friendship fades, enemies multiply. You never know what you will need in the future.

 

[PtG62901]

Mobileye has lots of customers, and all of them have a worse solution then Tesla right now. Should be interesting to see how this plays out.

 

[msnow]

Mobileye has lots of customers, and all of them have a worse solution then Tesla right now. Should be interesting to see how this plays out.

They have 5 or 6 car manufacturers as far as I can tell and not all of them are fully engaged.

 

[techmaven]

I want to point to Mobileye's Q3 earnings transcript, specifically commentary by Ziv Aviram - Co-Founder, President and CEO:

"We work very closely with the Tesla. We enjoy working with them because they are very -- let’s say visionary, aggressive and very excited about introduction of these kind of technologies. So it’s a pleasure for us because they are also very excited to introduce as much as possible of what we do on the roads. And we already have teams that work on the next generation and generation after that."

and...

"On the other hand, as I said some of the customers slightly abuse the system by not driving according to the instructions of Tesla which we do not like because I think if somebody eventually will fail and will be involved in accidents, very difficult then to claim that they didn’t use the system exactly according to their instructions of Tesla. But this is the part of innovation. This is the part of running ahead and introducing exciting things to the market with the target eventually to reduce to zero the car accidents."

So, as of November 3, 2015, with full knowledge of what Tesla Autopilot was doing, and with full knowledge that someone would get into accidents, Mobileye said "this is part of innovation." Further, they acknowledge that abuse of the system would be against the instructions of Tesla.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/363...iram-q3-2015-results-earnings-call-transcript

 

[Lump]

Mobileye (MBLY) Responds to Allegations, Says Tesla (TSLA) Statements are Incorrect

Mobileye (NYSE: MBLY) said in response to inquiries received this morning, the company notes that the allegations recently attributed to a spokesperson for Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) regarding Mobileye's position in respect of Tesla internal computer visions efforts are incorrect and can be refuted by the facts.



It has long been Mobileye's position that Tesla's Autopilot should not be allowed to operate hands-free without proper and substantial technological restrictions and limitations. In communications dating back to May 2015 between the Mobileye Chairman and Tesla’s CEO, Mobileye expressed safety concerns regarding the use of Autopilot hands-free. After a subsequent face to face meeting, Tesla’s CEO confirmed that activation of Autopilot would be “hands on.” Despite this confirmation, Autopilot was rolled out in late 2015 with a hands-free activation mode. Mobileye has made substantial efforts since then to take more control on how this project can be steered to a proper functional safety system.



Tesla’s response to the May 7 crash, wherein the company shifted blame to the camera, and later corrected and shifted blame to the radar, indicated to Mobileye that Mobileye’s relationship with Tesla could not continue. Failing agreement on necessary changes in the relationship, Mobileye terminated its association with Tesla. As for Tesla’s claim that Mobileye was threatened by Tesla’s internal computer vision efforts, the company has little knowledge of these efforts other than an awareness that Tesla had put together a small team.



In any event, it is Mobileye’s policy not to respond to rumors or other spurious claims in the press. Mobileye has commented fully on its relationship with Tesla and will not provide further comment. Mobileye’s deeply held view is that the long-term potential for vehicle automation to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities significantly is too important to risk consumer and regulatory confusion or to create an environment of mistrust that puts in jeopardy technological advances that can save lives.

 

[techmaven]

So apparently we are to believe, according to Mobileye, that the 7.0 firmware that was released on October 14, 2015 was not tried by the people at Mobileye, such that their President and CEO didn't know that by the November 3rd earning release call?

Really, Mobileye didn't have any experience with Tesla Autopilot, either the final release or in beta, up through November 3rd where they state that they are fine with Tesla's instructions?

And they wait for months later to object? Do they really think that we're idiots?

The camera didn't see the truck. The radar's information was rejected as a false positive. Tesla was clear that they fusion of the two meant that the AEB did not activate. Tesla further said there was no blame to be put on Mobileye. And yet Mobileye feels that they need to throw Tesla under the bus?

 

[Krugerrand]

Wow. I wonder how Tesla is disseminating that response that Electrek has? Surely they didn't just send it to Electrek?

Didn't you read the article? Let me quote for you right from the article: According to a Tesla spokesperson in a statement sent to Electrek today...

 

[Vitold]

...

Tesla’s response to the May 7 crash, wherein the company shifted blame to the camera, and later corrected and shifted blame to the radar, indicated to Mobileye that Mobileye’s relationship with Tesla could not continue. Failing agreement on necessary changes in the relationship, Mobileye terminated its association with Tesla. As for Tesla’s claim that Mobileye was threatened by Tesla’s internal computer vision efforts, the company has little knowledge of these efforts other than an awareness that Tesla had put together a small team.
...

Mobileye admitted themselves that their system was not designed to avoid May 7 accident (but they will in the future) and Tesla correctly stated that Mobileye was incapable of handling such situations and should not be to blamed for it.

Interesting that Mobileye does notdispute that they were trying to convince/coerce Tesla to stop their program (however much they know about it) and go with their EyeQ4 solution for upcoming platform.

 

[Krugerrand]

Tesla Responds in Spat With Former Partner Mobileye

Given Tesla's subsequent comments about Mobileye, I certainly can't see them offering any good customer discounts. I see both sides of this. Mobileye provided Tesla the technology to get their AP going. But at the same time Tesla was developing their own in house solution. Undoubtedly they learned something from Mobileye - although there's plenty of comptuer vision experience in Silicon valley so maybe that's overstated.

In any case Mobileye probably feel that they taught Tesla how to do this and now Tesla's gone on to do their own thing; Mobileye is p'd off, as most people would be in that situation. Mobileye is nervous, probably concerned that the concepts that their business is founded on are becoming public knowledge, and so they bet big, hoping that they could coerce Tesla into abandoning their own program. They lost and now they're even more p'd off. And now they're rationalizing to themselves that they didn't like Tesla to begin with - that they were stretching the technology unsafely.

Thank you! Someone who gets both human nature AND business nature. I was starting to lose faith in mankind's ability to understand and comprehend a rather simple series of events.

 

[Vitold]

Thank you! Someone who gets both human nature AND business nature. I was starting to lose faith in mankind's ability to understand and comprehend a rather simple series of events.

I think there's bit more at play than human nature. Mobileye positioned themselves to be the best system there is and argued, since beginning, that all they need is cameras. Tesla is proving them wrong on both counts and it is bad for business (and stock).

 

[malcolm]

Okaaaay. Let's examine the clues:

August 23rd announcement of new partnership between Delphi Automotive and Mobileye "to produce systems for autonomous vehicles that could be put into production as soon as 2019"

Crickets' chirp; tumbleweed.

September 15th, Mobileye CEO Amnon Shashua (gesundheit) attacks Tesla.

But, of course: he's only gone public because he's concerned about truth and car safety.

Uh, huh.

Heard that one before.

Even wrote a song about it

 

[Krugerrand]

I think there's bit more at play than human nature.

That would be why I typed: Someone who gets both human nature AND business nature.

 

[Vitold]

That would be why I typed: Someone who gets both human nature AND business nature.

Touche

 

[Roger t]

Mobileye (MBLY) Responds to Allegations, Says Tesla (TSLA) Statements are Incorrect

Mobileye (NYSE: MBLY) said in response to inquiries received this morning, the company notes that the allegations recently attributed to a spokesperson for Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) regarding Mobileye's position in respect of Tesla internal computer visions efforts are incorrect and can be refuted by the facts.



It has long been Mobileye's position that Tesla's Autopilot should not be allowed to operate hands-free without proper and substantial technological restrictions and limitations. In communications dating back to May 2015 between the Mobileye Chairman and Tesla’s CEO, Mobileye expressed safety concerns regarding the use of Autopilot hands-free. After a subsequent face to face meeting, Tesla’s CEO confirmed that activation of Autopilot would be “hands on.” Despite this confirmation, Autopilot was rolled out in late 2015 with a hands-free activation mode. Mobileye has made substantial efforts since then to take more control on how this project can be steered to a proper functional safety system.



Tesla’s response to the May 7 crash, wherein the company shifted blame to the camera, and later corrected and shifted blame to the radar, indicated to Mobileye that Mobileye’s relationship with Tesla could not continue. Failing agreement on necessary changes in the relationship, Mobileye terminated its association with Tesla. As for Tesla’s claim that Mobileye was threatened by Tesla’s internal computer vision efforts, the company has little knowledge of these efforts other than an awareness that Tesla had put together a small team.



In any event, it is Mobileye’s policy not to respond to rumors or other spurious claims in the press. Mobileye has commented fully on its relationship with Tesla and will not provide further comment. Mobileye’s deeply held view is that the long-term potential for vehicle automation to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities significantly is too important to risk consumer and regulatory confusion or to create an environment of mistrust that puts in jeopardy technological advances that can save lives.

I watched several videos of Amnon on the self driving technology and he is a great guy. But too bad he can't take the heat. The one who can't take the heat can't lead in self driving technology. Now many startups and Uber developed their own technology, and car manufacturers like GM are partnering or acquiring them to get ahead of the game. Worst thing MobilEye can do is to lose the high profile leader of autonomous driving as a customer.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Bad idea for Mobileye. When you halt a vendor or customer relationship, always keep it a cordial as possible, or at least just STFU.

Time goes on. Friendship fades, enemies multiply. You never know what you will need in the future.

That's what I'm seeing also. Mobileye should have just kept quiet or phrased it in a different way (as they did immediately after the Florida incident). They have to be really naive to think Tesla would not respond after they lashed out at Tesla.