Tesla as an example has 3 forward looking cameras, additionally a single moving camera can sense depth since differences between frames relates to the distance from the camera.
LIDAR has its advantages, like precise 3D positions under ideal conditions. However there are downsides as well. Cost is a big one, but that's becoming less of a issue over time. Another is sensitivity to rain, fog, blowing sand, etc.
A complicating factor is human driven cars will assume cars to act like they have human limitations. So higher speeds when humans can see well, and low speeds when humans can't.
Not sure Tesla's current sensors will do it, but seems like camera based systems are likely to be quite competitive with LIDAR. Maybe instead of 3 forward cameras, 6 or 8 so there's overlapping views (for stereoscopic vision), handling failures better, and allowing a narrower field of view at a higher zoom.
More range will be a huge help, that way an autonomous car can slow more gently when uncertain and drive more like a human. After all superhuman reflexes aren't much use if you get rear ended all the time.
LIDAR has its advantages, like precise 3D positions under ideal conditions. However there are downsides as well. Cost is a big one, but that's becoming less of a issue over time. Another is sensitivity to rain, fog, blowing sand, etc.
A complicating factor is human driven cars will assume cars to act like they have human limitations. So higher speeds when humans can see well, and low speeds when humans can't.
Not sure Tesla's current sensors will do it, but seems like camera based systems are likely to be quite competitive with LIDAR. Maybe instead of 3 forward cameras, 6 or 8 so there's overlapping views (for stereoscopic vision), handling failures better, and allowing a narrower field of view at a higher zoom.
More range will be a huge help, that way an autonomous car can slow more gently when uncertain and drive more like a human. After all superhuman reflexes aren't much use if you get rear ended all the time.