Tesla Files For New Radar Despite Push For Camera-Only Self-Driving
Tesla officially files with the FCC to use a new 4D imaging radar in its vehicles, creating confusion over Elon Musk's strict camera-only vision strategy. The move sparks concern among owners who fear their current hardware lacks the sensors needed for future self-driving capabilities.
Tesla officially files with the FCC to use a new radar in its electric vehicles, creating confusion since Elon Musk repeatedly insists that the company achieves self-driving through a camera-only "Tesla Vision" system. The new filing points to a 4D imaging radar that reportedly offers twice the range of Tesla's previous front-facing radar, directly contradicting the company's recent shift away from sensor fusion.
Musk previously states that pure vision provides a higher probability of safety than a combined vision and radar system because modern cameras produce such high-quality data that radar actually reduces the signal-to-noise ratio. However, the CEO concedes that a "very high resolution radar" makes vision better, arguing that such technology simply does not exist until now.
This unexpected hardware filing worries Tesla owners who paid for the Full Self-Driving package, as it raises fresh doubts about whether their current vehicles possess all the hardware necessary for autonomous driving. Tesla promises since 2016 that all its cars ship with self-driving hardware, but the company already forces computer upgrades, and this new radar suggests yet another essential sensor joins the list of required hardware.