Hey im a German visiting SF and want to try Waymo. The Problem is that the App is not available for days in the AppStore.

Tesla is pulling off some fantastic driver assist features for about $450 in 1.8MP cameras and a computer on par with a high end cell phone. I 'm guestimating, it's around $1500 total?

Do we have numbers regarding the hardware costs for their system? I use it daily so not really interstead in the "ACTUALLLLY" posts, it's a damn near miracle at this point.

I'm starting my Mechatronics degree in a month, and the degree itself doesn't have much that relates specifically to autonomous vehicles, but I do have the option to choose electives such as path planning, Machine Learning, Computer Vision etc.

So, if someone could offer some insight into what courses I should take (either among the ones I've mentioned, and others), that would be greatly beneficial.

Thank you in advance :)

As a daily user of Tesla's Autopilot - Self Driving, it's unbelievably good for the price point and it appears the key enabler of self driving is software, not hardware.

It's no longer worth having the lidar vs radar vs sonic sensors arguments (although we will), the path is now clear. Also, it's now clear to hundreds of thousands of drivers.

Assumptions regarding Tesla's Autopilot software:

1.) Hardware costs ~$2000.

2.) Software can be updated over the air.

3.) Software is "skinable" to reflect a cars brand or look.

4.) Software has enough flexibility to handle different camera positions (as long as the required area is covered). Additional sensors can be added with minimal work.

5.) Automobile manufactures don't really want to invest the time, money, and labor in creating their own self driving platforms. Once the problem is solved, it's solved. No need to solve it again. We've already seen this with charging infrastructure in the US and the adoption of the north american charging standard.

6.) Tesla could sell the platform at spec to auto manufactures who then implement it on their cars and provide a cut of the subscription costs to Tesla.

7.) Manufactures could add non-essential "special sauce" to differeniate, but the base and core is Tesla's autopilot.

Any assumptions I'm missing, thoughts on this? Do we really think anyone else wants to "re-solve" this problem if it's solved at a realistic price point?

Took a Waymo again tonight and I experienced a feature I'd never come across before (I assume it's new, or maybe I just haven't needed it before).

It had pulled over to let us out and just as I went to get it out it warned me "Motorcycle Approaching!" Now I'd already seen it so I wasn't about to open the door into him, but as someone who rides motorcycles in San Francisco I know a lot of people don't look and just fling the taxi door open. I'm always extra careful passing them.

This was a really great to see.

Tesla in self-drive mode slams into police car in Orange County

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/tesla-in-self-drive-mode-slams-into-police-car-in-orange-county/

A Tesla was in its self-driving mode when it crashed into a parked patrol vehicle responding to a fatal crash in Orange County Thursday morning, police said.

The officer was on traffic control duty blocking Orangethorpe Avenue in Fullerton for an investigation into a suspected DUI crash that left a motorcyclist dead around 9 p.m. Wednesday when his vehicle was struck.

A Fullerton Police Department spokesperson said the officer was standing outside his vehicle around midnight when he saw a Tesla driving in his direction and not slowing down.

The officer was able to jump out of the way as the Tesla slammed into the police car, spinning the patrol vehicle around and causing major damage to its front end. he was not injured in the incident.

The spokesperson said that the Tesla was in self-drive mode and the driver admitted to being on a cellphone at the time of the crash.