Waymo Makes History: First Fully Self Driving Car With No Driver

[schonelucht]

but Tesla could, in fact, do a similar demo in a closed area.

That's a strong assertion! On what do you base it?

 

[McHoffa]

That's a strong assertion! On what do you base it?

based on the fact that they did a video of something similar a year ago?

Notice, I didn't say exactly like it

 

[Rockster]

Demo obviously means different things to different people. But, if I'm sitting as a passenger in a self-driving car and nobody is in the driver's seat, that is far beyond what I consider a demo to be. The Tesla fanboys are obviously having some difficulty coming to grips with the fact that their savior has officially been left as a tiny spec in Waymo's rear view mirror.

I think this is a case of Waymo and Tesla simply defining different milestones on their respective paths to the same goal. Waymo is using a controlled, heavily studied environment as a milestone to deploy fully autonomous vehicles today. Tesla's fully autonomous deployment doesn't (thus far) have such a milestone on its path. Tesla is aiming to release autonomous vehicles that aren't limited to a specific domain. It makes perfect sense that Waymo's milestone would be reached sooner than Tesla's full deployment.

What Waymo has done here is impressive. To suggest, however, that they beat Tesla somehow is disingenuous.

 

[schonelucht]

based on the fact that they did a video of something similar a year ago?

That's really stretching the limits of 'similar'. Tesla was a recorded video of 1 route with a driver behind the wheel. Waymo will do publicly accessible rides on any route within a geofenced zone with no driver behind the wheel.

 

[stopcrazypp]

I think this is a case of Waymo and Tesla simply defining different milestones on their respective paths to the same goal. Waymo is using a controlled, heavily studied environment as a milestone to deploy fully autonomous vehicles today. Tesla's fully autonomous deployment doesn't (thus far) have such a milestone on its path. Tesla is aiming to release autonomous vehicles that aren't limited to a specific domain. It makes perfect sense that Waymo's milestone would be reached sooner than Tesla's full deployment.

What Waymo has done here is impressive. To suggest, however, that they beat Tesla somehow is disingenuous.

I think the biggest difference is Tesla's goal is to do it in a vehicle that they sell to you, while Google is doing it in public transit. These goals put different constraints on the type of hardware you can put on the car (as well as its maintenance; apparently the rotating lidar units need replacement/recalibration at factory relatively frequently).

 

[Joe F]

I can't wait to take a Waymo on my next 1200 mile jaunt.

 

[setoKaiba]

I think the biggest difference is Tesla's goal is to do it in a vehicle that they sell to you, while Google is doing it in public transit. These goals put different constraints on the type of hardware you can put on the car (as well as its maintenance; apparently the rotating lidar units need replacement/recalibration at factory relatively frequently).

Google/Waymo does not use velodyne lidars. They use their own in-house lidar system and have cost the by 90% with mass production grade quality.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Google/Waymo does not use velodyne lidars. They use their own in-house lidar system and have cost the by 90% with mass production grade quality.

Velodyne also dropped their prices to similar levels, but my point was talking about reliability. I don't know how much Google improved on it, but the rotating lidar apparently isn't particularly reliable, which is why even Velodyne is moving to solid state for the ones intended for vehicles sold to consumers. Solid state should help as it eliminates that high speed moving part.
I learned of this in this thread:
AutoX CEO bashes lidar

In a fleet, with roof mounted sensors (vs integrated into bodywork), it doesn't matter as much if the sensor has to be taken out and recalibrated regularly or replaced multiple times in the vehicle's service life, but that won't be acceptable for a vehicle sold to a general consumer.

 

[lunitiks]

@Bladerskb @Bladerskb @Bladerskb

 

[AnxietyRanger]

What Waymo has done here is impressive. To suggest, however, that they beat Tesla somehow is disingenuous.

It is disingenous.

Not for the reason you suggest, though. It is disingenous to suggest Waymo beat just Tesla, because Waymo beat everyone.

Come on, now. Credit where credit is due. They have been at it methodologically for a decade. It shows.

 

[setoKaiba]

Yes, yes it is. Guarantee that they ran that exact route multiple times before making the video.

If they were confident in it, they would let journalists give a try instead of just showing a canned demo.


Note, I'm not saying its not further along than Tesla, or that it isn't close to being production ready. Just saying that video is no better than what Tesla showed last year.

Further Note. They give no indication of how much all of their hardware costs. If they need $300k worth of gear on each car to make it work...

This sorta contradict what we already know about their progress so far. If we're to believe the California DMV that Google in 2016 were at 1 disengagement every 5,000 miles then they won't have any problem making a driver-less video on one shot then or now. They wouldn't need to run that exact route multiple times.

However yes Its reasonable to think that they should have let journalists try their driver-less rides on public road but remember they invited alot of journalists (including consumer reports) two weeks ago to their private Castle testing site and there they were given driver-less rides on private road. They were also shown how Waymo perform their advanced corner cases road tests.

So why would waymo not give journalist rides on public road without safety driver? Because waymo/google is in the educational phase right now and are planning to do journalist ride-ons in the public the same day when they fully launch the service for maximum media attention. People can read the articles, go to the store, download app and boom!

or that it isn't close to being production ready. Just saying that video is no better than what Tesla showed last year.

If waymo isn't close to a full launch they wouldn't be doing what they are doing today. They could have done PR stunts years ago. Apparently they did in 2015 using a blind man but never talked about it till 2016. Right now engineers, employees and special group of people are riding these driverless pacificas around the 200 square mile zone as regular passengers in the back seat. Then it will be extended to the early access families which already use the service with a safety driver today, then a full launch.

Remember its not only getting the SDC tech right, you have to get the UI/UX, support centers, repair centers and experience with riders right aswell.

All the chips have to fall in place for a successful launch.

 

[ReddyLeaf]

How is this any better than what Tesla showed off a year ago?

Oh, come on, you know..... wait for it....... it's waymo better

 

[AnxietyRanger]

Yes, the thing is, Waymo is so far ahead of everyone else that it is not even funny to compare them.

The people behind the Waymo car were doing their first "October 2016 video" demo twelve years ago - in 2005 - in a public competition no less, not a privately shot video... the Google project officially started in 2009. They've been on public roads since at least 2010.

Tesla has one video from late 2016.

 

[lunitiks]

L4.

This, my friends, is L4.

Now clap

 

[ZeApelido]

The butthurt is strong in this thread.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

It is really surprising actually. Traditional automotive companies aside, I would think pretty much everyone would love what Waymo has been doing.

Apparently Elon trash-talking Lidar has had its effect, so no.

 

[McRat]

Now you know why they moved testing from SF area to Chandler (not Phoenix).

 

[Tam]

Google Koala slow-speed driverless car has been doing this driverless stunt for a while.

It was pulled over by Motorcycle Police for driving too slowly at 24 mph in 35 mph zone 2 years ago:

It provided a ride to a blind man and drove around Texas Capitol last year (Texas allows testing but not for general public consumers--only 3 states allow consumers' operation):

I guess the difference for this round:

1) vehicles have the capability of driving faster than 25 MPH

2) invitations are opened to wider general public.

 

[McRat]

1) vehicles have the capability of driving faster than 25 MPH

2) invitations are opened to wider general public.

I couldn't see a point where the Waymo cars displayed more than 25 mph on their speedometers. Remember, they are in a sea of tract homes when in Chandler. It's a bedroom community for Phoenix. Some folk drive golf carts in the area.

If Waymo could have went on the highway, I'm absolutely certain they would have used it in their marketing.

 

[ecarfan]

"They’ll be geofenced within a 100-square-mile area of the town of Chandler, a suburb of Phoenix — though Waymo says it plans to expand to areas beyond that as its cars collect more data and conduct more trips."

No doubt Waymo has already driven every street in those 100 square miles and mapped them all in detail.

It’s a demo in a 100 square mile area.

Although Tesla shows the demo on its website, its policy remains the same that current real life practice demands a hands-on steering wheel approach

And as has been pointed out, Tesla is operating in CA where the law requires a licensed driver be at the wheel of every self-driving car, whereas in AZ that is not required.