Autonomous Vehicles News & Discussions

[andmar74]

After wide release of FSD Beta 10.69.2, price of FSD will rise to $15k in North America on September 5th.

Current price will be honored for orders made before Sept 5th, but delivered later.

I wonder why it have to be that expensive.

[caltrek]

After wide release of FSD Beta 10.69.2, price of FSD will rise to $15k in North America on September 5th.

Current price will be honored for orders made before Sept 5th, but delivered later.

I wonder why it have to be that expensive.

I am not sure what article you are citing, but The Verge had a recent article on this very same subject. Unfortunately, it doesn't really provide much of an answer to your question. At any rate:

Tesla’s Full-Self Driving Software is Going Up in Price again
by Emma Roth
August 21, 2022

Introduction:

(The Verge) Tesla’s increasing the price of its Full-Self Driving (FSD) software to $15,000. In a post on Twitter, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that the new price will go into effect in North America starting September 5th, representing a $3,000 jump.

Drivers who order a vehicle before September 5th won’t have to pay the newly-increased price, Musk says. The price hike comes as Tesla begins rolling out FSD beta 10.69 to drivers, a version Musk calls “a big step forward.” It’s still unclear whether Tesla plans on raising the price of its FSD subscription, which currently costs $199 per month.

The FSD software lets drivers use Tesla’s advanced driving assistance system (ADAS), Autopilot, to navigate to and from specific destinations, among other driver-assist features. FSD doesn’t make a vehicle fully autonomous; it requires drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and pay attention to the road at all times.

The price of Tesla’s FSD beta has slowly crept up over the years, and cost $5,000 upon launch. But when Tesla started rolling out the FSD beta to a select group of customers in October 2020, it upped the price to $10,000. In September 2021, Tesla began opening the beta to more customers via a new “request” button before increasing the price to $12,000 earlier this year.

In 2019, Musk called Tesla vehicles “appreciating assets,” meaning that they’ll increase in value as Tesla launches additional driver-assist features. Musk later claimed that “the value of FSD” could reach over $100,000 “as the software gets closer to full self-driving capability with regulatory approval.”

Read more here: https://www.theverge.com/2022/8/21/233 ... elon-musk

[caltrek]

Tesla Slapped With Class Action Lawsuit Over Phantom Braking Problem
by Andrew J. Hawkins
August 30, 2022

Introduction:

(The Verge) A Tesla owner from San Francisco filed a proposed class action lawsuit against the electric vehicle company over a phantom braking problem that he claims has turned “a safety feature into a frightening and dangerous nightmare.” The lawsuit was first reported by Reuters.

The lawsuit was filed by San Francisco resident Jose Alvarez Toledo in federal court in the Northern District of California. In the complaint, Toledo estimates that there are “hundreds of thousands” of Tesla customers that could seek to join his class action suit against the company.

The lawsuit accuses Tesla of fraudulently hiding the safety risks associated with the company’s Autopilot driver assist system, breaching its warranties, unfairly profiting from Autopilot, and violating California’s unfair competition law. Toledo is seeking punitive damages.

“Many Tesla owners have reported significant, unexpected slow-downs and stops due to the false engagement of their Class Vehicle’s braking systems, even though no objects were nearby,” the lawsuit reads. “When the Sudden Unintended Braking Defect Occurs, they turn what is supposed to be a safety feature into a frightening and dangerous nightmare.”

The lawsuit comes as Tesla faces a federal investigation into its phantom braking problem, which first surfaced last fall. Those reports emerged just as Tesla was forced to roll back version 10.3 of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) beta software, the company’s advanced driver assist system, because of issues with forward collision warnings and unexpected braking.

Read more here: https://www.theverge.com/2022/8/30/233 ... n-lawsuit

[raklian]

[weatheriscool]

Advancing human-like perception in self-driving vehicles
https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-adv ... icles.html
by University of Freiburg

How can mobile robots perceive and understand the environment correctly, even if parts of the environment are occluded by other objects? This is a key question that must be solved for self-driving vehicles to safely navigate in large crowded cities. While humans can imagine complete physical structures of objects even when they are partially occluded, existing artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms that enable robots and self-driving vehicles to perceive their environment do not have this capability.

Robots with AI can already find their way around and navigate on their own once they have learned what their environment looks like. However, perceiving the entire structure of objects when they are partially hidden, such as people in crowds or vehicles in traffic jams, has been a significant challenge. A major step towards solving this problem has now been taken by Freiburg robotics researchers Prof. Dr. Abhinav Valada and Ph.D. student Rohit Mohan from the Robot Learning Lab at the University of Freiburg, which they have presented in two joint publications.

The two Freiburg scientists have developed the amodal panoptic segmentation task and demonstrated its feasibility using novel AI approaches. Until now, self-driving vehicles have used panoptic segmentation to understand their surroundings.

[caltrek]

Food Delivery Robot Drives Right Through a Crime Scene
by James Felton
September 14 , 2022

Introduction:

(IFL Science) A food delivery robot has been caught on video happily ramming its way through a cordoned-off crime scene in Los Angeles. In a video widely seen on Twitter and Reddit, the robot doesn't seem to care about the looks it gets from police officers.

The footage appears to show a Serve Robotics model, described as a "next-generation robotic fleet", as it approaches the police cordon. A helpful human lifts the tape, to let the robot through the crime scene and on to its next delivery.

Serve Robotics brags that its latest generation of robots are "able to operate routinely without human intervention, and can rely on their onboard capabilities to ensure safe operation" using "multiple sensor modalities – active sensors such as lidar and ultrasonics, as well as passive sensors such as cameras – to navigate safely on busy city sidewalks".

The zero-emission robots just haven't yet, if the video above is anything to go by, mastered crime scenes.

On the other side of the law, robots have been deployed by the police in recent years, with far worse results.

Read more here: https://www.iflscience.com/food-delive ... ene-65331

(Techcrunch) Video of a sidewalk delivery robot crossing yellow caution tape and rolling through a crime scene in Los Angeles went viral this week, amassing more than 650,000 views on Twitter and sparking debate about whether the technology is ready for prime time.

It turns out the robot’s error, at least in this case, was caused by humans.

The video of the event was taken and posted on Twitter by William Gude, the owner of Film the Police LA, an LA-based police watchdog account. Gude was in the area of a suspected school shooting at Hollywood High School at around 10 a.m. when he captured on video the bot as it hovered on the street corner, looking confused, until someone lifted the tape, allowing the bot to continue on its way through the crime scene.

Uber spinout Serve Robotics told TechCrunch that the robot’s self-driving system didn’t decide to cross into the crime scene. It was the choice of a human operator who was remotely operating the bot.

The company’s delivery robots have so-called Level 4 autonomy, which means they can drive themselves under certain conditions without needing a human to take over. Serve has been piloting its robots with Uber Eats in the area since May.

Read more here: https://techcrunch.com/2022/09/16/serv ... ime-scene/

[caltrek]

Ford Disbands Argo AI Autonomous Vehicle Unit
October 26, 2022

Introduction:

DETROIT (AP via Courthouse News) — Ford said Wednesday that it is disbanding Argo AI, an autonomous vehicle company that it co-owns with Volkswagen.

Executives said they don't see a path to profitability on fully autonomous vehicles, and will now focus on partially automated driver-assist systems, which need to be monitored by humans.

Ford took a $2.7 billion accounting charge to reduce the value of its investment in Pittsburgh-based Argo, and it's writing off a cash investment of about $500 million. Due largely to the noncash accounting charge, Ford reported a net loss of $827 million from July through September.

Ford said it and Volkswagen would hire many of Argo's 2,000 employees and some of its offices would remain open.

Read more here: https://www.courthousenews.com/ford-di ... sts-loss/

[caltrek]

First Autonomous Car in Luxembourg Traffic
November 3, 2022

Introduction:

(EurekAlert) The University of Luxembourg’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) demonstrated its autonomous car in live traffic on Kirchberg today, Thursday 3 November 2022. This represents the first time a single-family autonomous car has joined the flow of traffic in Luxembourg with members of the public as passengers.

This autonomous car is the test platform for navigation technologies and high definition (HD) maps being researched at SnT’s 360Lab. The demonstration is the culmination of five years of research work by the 360Lab team, led by Prof. Raphaël Frank. The 360Lab is the first thematic research laboratory focusing on smart mobility in the country, and it serves as an umbrella to conduct strategic and collaborative research in the broader area of mobility innovation.

The 360Lab’s research is crucial to the future of autonomous driving in Luxembourg as it is developing HD maps of the region, which provide information that road signs and markings traditionally give to drivers as they navigate to their destination. HD maps are the basis for autonomous navigation. These are exponentially more detailed than standard definition (SD) maps, commonly used by traditional navigation services’ found in cars and mobile devices. The map for the demo was completed in partnership with a San Francisco based start-up, Civil Maps, specialised in providing HD maps for automated mobility.

Beyond the technical research, there are also many logistics involved in researching autonomous navigation. As part of their research, the team needed to gain authorisation for the single-family car to drive on Luxembourgish roads, trailblazing the regulatory path for autonomous driving in the country.

“Autonomous driving holds the potential to create a mobility ecosystem that is both safer and more sustainable. Full autonomy will be a paradigm shift in mobility, improving traffic and reducing congestion by reducing the number of vehicles,” says Prof. Raphaël Frank. “Our mission is to have a research platform where we demonstrate the technology of autonomous mobility that we can use for research and education. Today’s demo achieves this goal as it is the first-time members of the public get to experience the functionality of the car first-hand.”

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/970219

[citali_]

After wide release of FSD Beta 10.69.2, price of FSD will rise to $15k in North America on September 5th.

Current price will be honored for orders made before Sept 5th, but delivered later.

I wonder why it have to be that expensive.

I was thinking that! Asking myself...I guess it's because it's fairly new.

[wjfox]

[weatheriscool]

World first: Bosch and Mercedes-Benz’s driverless parking system approved for commercial use
https://www.bosch-presse.de/pressportal ... 48960.html

Stuttgart, Germany – Bosch and Mercedes-Benz have reached an important milestone on the way to automated driving: Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) has approved their highly automated parking system for use in the P6 parking garage run by APCOA at Stuttgart Airport. This makes it the world’s first highly automated driverless parking function to SAE Level 4¹ to be officially approved for commercial use. The technological advancement of automated driving plays a key role in the mobility of the future. With the vehicle and infrastructure taking over driving and maneuvering, drivers will be able to turn their attention to other things, instead of time spent looking for a parking space and maneuvering in tight parking garages.

[wjfox]

Self-driving electric tractor promises eco-friendly, hands-off farming

December 9, 2022 3:41 PM

The autonomous tractor world is heating up, apparently. CNH Industrial has unveiled what it says is the "first" electric light tractor prototype with self-driving features, the New Holland T4 Electric Power. The machine promises zero emissions, quieter operation than diesel models and (according to CNH) lower running costs while reducing the amount of time farmers spend behind the wheel. Sensors and cameras on the roof help the vehicle complete tasks, dodge obstacles and work in harmony with other equipment. You can even activate it from your phone.

The T4 Electric Power's 120HP motor produces a 25MPH top speed comparable to regular tractors. The battery is large enough to handle a day's work "depending on the mission profile," CNH says. That suggests the tractor might need a mid-day top-up, but that might not necessarily be a problem when the T4 can reach a full battery in an hour using off-the-shelf fast chargers.

Like Ford's F-150 Lightning, this tractor can serve as a power pack on wheels. It has outlets to plug in common tools like drills, and it serves as a backup power source for emergencies. You can attach hydraulic, mechanical and Power Take Off implements. Production of the completed T4 Electric Power is expected at the end of 2023, with more models on the way.

https://www.engadget.com/chr-new-hollan ... 40810.html

[weatheriscool]

A reinforcement learning framework to enhance the ramp merging capabilities of autonomous vehicles
https://techxplore.com/news/2022-12-fra ... omous.html
by Ingrid Fadelli , Tech Xplore

While many automotive companies are now invested in the development of self-driving cars, the vehicles created so far have not yet attained the safety levels necessary for them to be deployed on a large-scale. For this to happen, the vehicles will need to be able to tackle a wide variety of challenges on the road both safely and effectively.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have recently developed a reinforcement learning (RL)-based framework that could help to improve the performance of autonomous vehicles in ramp merging scenarios, instances where vehicles on a ramp road are deviated onto a main road. Their framework, presented in a paper pre-published on arXiv, could potentially help to improve the safety of autonomous vehicles in these particularly salient times, reducing the risk of accidents.

"Prof. John Dolan's lab at CMU has been working on various autonomous driving applications for quite some time," Soumith Udatha, one of the researchers who developed the model, told TechXplore. "The application that we focused on in this paper is that of freeway merging because of the challenges involved with vehicles at high speeds, drivers with various styles, and uncertainties involved."

The overreaching objective of the research efforts by Udatha and his colleagues is to improve the safety of autonomous vehicles. In their recent paper, they specifically tried to devise a framework that could effectively capture ramp merging scenarios and plan a vehicle's actions based on its analyses of any uncertainties and possible risks.

"RL models interact with an environment and collect data to optimize their rewards, but this data exploration encounters some problems when deployed in real-world settings," Udatha explained. "This is partly because not all the states that the agent encounters are safe. We constrained our RL policy with control barrier functions (CBFs) to ensure safety at a specified distance. So, with the environmental constraints, we ignore the unsafe states and enhance a system's ability to learn how to navigate."

[wjfox]

Tesla video promoting self-driving was staged, senior engineer testifies

Tue 17 Jan 2023 18.44 GMT

A 2016 video that Tesla used to promote its self-driving technology was staged to show capabilities like stopping at a red light and accelerating at a green light that the system did not have, according to testimony by a senior engineer.

The video, which remains archived on Tesla’s website, was released in October 2016 and promoted on Twitter by Elon Musk as evidence that “Tesla drives itself”.

But the Model X was not driving itself with technology Tesla had deployed, Ashok Elluswamy, director of Autopilot software at Tesla, said in the transcript of a July deposition taken as evidence in a lawsuit against Tesla for a 2018 fatal crash involving a former Apple engineer.

The previously unreported testimony by Elluswamy represents the first time a Tesla employee has confirmed and detailed how the video was produced.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... r-engineer

[weatheriscool]

Woman Dies After Tesla Crashes Into San Rafael Pool: CHP
Source: NBC Bay Area

A Tesla driver is dead after she crashed into a swimming pool in San Rafael Saturday morning, the California Highway Patrol said...

It's unclear why the car veered or whether it was in autopilot at the time of the crash.

Read more: https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/t ... l/3135733/

[weatheriscool]

Mercedes-Benz is the first to bring Level 3 automated driving to the US / The company’s Drive Pilot system is approved for use in Nevada, but only at speeds up to 40 mph. You can play Tetris while cruising down the highway, but make sure your face stays visible to the camera, or the system disengages.
https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/27/2357 ... ved-nevada
By Andrew J. Hawkins / @andyjayhawk
Jan 27, 2023, 10:02 AM PST|

Mercedes-Benz announced that it was the first automaker to receive government approval in the US for a Level 3 driving feature. The company said it had self-certified in Nevada for use of its Drive Pilot feature, in which the car does all the driving but the driver needs to stand by to take control at a moment’s notice.

Mercedes certified that its technology meets Nevada’s “minimal risk condition” requirement that requires Level 3 or higher “fully autonomous” vehicles to be able to stop if there is a malfunction in the system.

“Nevada law allows all automation levels to operate on public streets,” a spokesperson for the state’s DMV said in an email. “Nevada does not issue any permit or license based on an autonomous vehicle’s level of automation.”

Mercedes certified that its technology meets Nevada’s “minimal risk condition” requirement

Mercedes-Benz’s Drive Pilot is similar to “hands-free” highway driving systems like GM’s Super Cruise, Ford’s BlueCruise, and Tesla’s Autopilot, in so far as it allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel and feet off the pedals under certain conditions. But unlike Level 2 systems, in which drivers are required to keep their eyes on the road, Mercedes’ Level 3 system has a little more allowances.

According to The Drive, which got to test out the system on a closed course in Germany last year, the driver must keep their face visible to the vehicle’s in-car cameras at all times but can also turn their head to talk to a passenger or play a game on the vehicle’s infotainment screen. (A Mercedes engineer suggested playing Tetris, for example.) But when The Drive reporter brought a camera up to his face to take a picture, the system disengaged.

[wjfox]

Remote driving in UK from abroad should not be allowed, says Law Commission

15 hours ago

Remotely driving a vehicle in the UK while outside the country should not be allowed, according to an independent body that advises the UK government.

The Law Commission report into remotely driven vehicles says at present they are a "legal grey area".

Vehicles which are controlled by an outside driver are already used in warehouses, mines and farms, but car rental firms would like to use them.

The technology could also support autonomous vehicles.

The commission - which reviews legislation in England and Wales - says there is no specific legal requirement for the driver to be inside the vehicle they are operating.

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-64705924

[wjfox]

[wjfox]

World's first full-size, self-driving public bus service

4th April 2023

Level 4 autonomous buses will begin operation in Scotland next month – the first service of its kind in the world.

Alexander Dennis Limited, a subsidiary of global bus manufacturer NFI Group, has today announced that a new autonomous bus service in East Scotland will commence on 15th May 2023. This follows the successful completion of an extensive testing program and registration by Stagecoach, the UK's largest bus and coach operator.

CAVForth (Connected Autonomous Vehicles) is a joint project of several companies and institutions, part-funded by the UK Government's Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. In addition to Alexander Dennis Limited and Stagecoach, the collaboration includes Bristol Robotics Lab, Edinburgh Napier University, Fusion Processing Ltd, and Transport Scotland.

One of the most complex projects of its kind worldwide, CAVForth will be the first registered service to operate full-sized, self-driving buses. A fleet of five Enviro200AV vehicles will cover a 23 km (14 mi) route, in mixed traffic, at up to 50 mph across the iconic Forth Road Bridge to the northwest of Edinburgh. Stagecoach will run a frequent timetable with capacity for around 10,000 journeys per week.

Read more: https://www.futuretimeline.net/blog/202 ... otland.htm

[weatheriscool]