In a swipe at Tesla, Waymo says ‘cameras… aren’t enough’
Waymo has publicly challenged Tesla's camera-only approach to autonomous driving, arguing that safe operations require a redundant sensor suite including lidar and radar. This debate highlights the industry-wide divide over the necessary hardware for full autonomy.
Why it matters
The disagreement over sensor suites has major implications for the safety, regulatory approval, and future deployment of autonomous vehicle technology.
As Tesla gears up for the official launch of its steering wheel and pedal-less Cybercabs, Waymo is issuing a stark warning about Elon Musk’s approach autonomous driving.
Srikanth Thirumalai, Waymo’s VP of Onboard Software, doesn’t specifically call out Musk or Tesla in a blog post, published Wednesday, entitled “10 AI Lessons from Driving 200+ Million Fully Autonomous Miles.” But his intention is clear: Tesla’s system is insufficient to the task of fully autonomous driving.
“Cameras are incredible, but they aren’t enough,” Thirumalai writes. “For years, there’s been a debate over whether cameras alone could solve full autonomy. Now, after more than 200 million real-world miles, the data is clear: safe, fully autonomous operations at scale require more.” Waymo uses cameras, in addition to lidar and radar, to create “a rich, redundant world view that no single sensor can replicate,” he adds.
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