BMW tests next-gen LiDAR to beat Tesla to Level 3 self-driving cars

L4sBot@lemmy.worldmod to Technology@lemmy.world – 369 points –
BMW tests next-gen LiDAR to beat Tesla to Level 3 self-driving cars
zdnet.com

BMW tests next-gen LiDAR to beat Tesla to Level 3 self-driving cars::Tesla's autonomous vehicle tech has been perennially stuck at Level 2 self-driving, as BMW and other rivals try to leapfrog to Level 3.

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I hate that the article opens with

Just a decade ago, the concept of self-driving cars might have seemed like something out of a science fiction movie

Ten years ago there was already a ton of competition in self driving car research. They were first legalized on the roads 10 years ago. Tesla autopilot (including it even though it was a scam) was sold 9 years ago. Google spun off its self driving car division as waymo in 2016.

This feels like one of those "bruh Zelda ocarina of time came out 29 years ago, we old" memes

Hell, Mercedes and Bosch were testing it all the way back in 1993:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTnBiTIvGqY

Old Mercedes was insane. They really were the best or nothing

And what happened though, was it unfilled hype or that death caused by that Uber autopilot? Back when waymo was grabbing headlines you would've thought we'd be a lot closer to driver less by now.