No hype, just works: How Comma reached 100M miles in autonomous driving

Comma’s Harald Schäfer joins Jason (0s)

• The speaker believes that humanoid robots in homes are unlikely in the near future and advises caution regarding technology demonstrations that are not yet market-ready. (33s)
• The speaker believes that the "autonomy endgame" is approaching, citing advancements in vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, Waymo, Tesla, and Comma AI as evidence. (1m30s)
• The speaker welcomes Harold Schaefer, CTO of Comma AI, to the program. (1m41s)

Comma's approach to self-driving technology (2m2s)

• Comma.ai aims to develop general-purpose robotics, with their current focus being an Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) product called Openpilot. (2m17s)
• Openpilot is an open-source software kit that enables cars to have features like lane keeping and adaptive cruise control, similar to Tesla Autopilot and FSD. (2m31s)
• While currently a Level 2 system, requiring driver supervision, Comma.ai's long-term goal is to achieve full autonomy through incremental improvements to Openpilot. (3m1s)

Cost, installation, and car manufacturers' reactions to Comma (4m6s)

• Comma sells a kit for $1,450 that enables partial autonomy in modern Toyotas and Hondas. The kit includes cameras, sensors, a computer, and a wiring harness that connects to the car's internal network, allowing it to control steering, gas, and brakes. (4m23s)
• The kit works by intercepting and sending messages on the car's Controller Area Network (CAN bus), similar to the factory-installed Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS). However, Comma argues that their software, "pilot", provides a more usable and enjoyable experience compared to the stock ADAS. (5m2s)
• While car manufacturers haven't tried to stop Comma, engineers within those companies, particularly those working on ADAS, tend to be supportive. They acknowledge that their companies' ADAS solutions lag behind competitors like Tesla and open pilot. (5m50s)

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• To be eligible, founders must have under $2 million in funding and use a .TECH domain. (6m58s)
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Open source and different approaches in autonomous driving (7m24s)

• Open source software development helps to maintain high standards for both hardware and software products. (8m27s)
• While many companies developing autonomous driving technology keep their systems closed, Comma.ai embraces an open-source approach. (9m25s)
• Comma.ai is moving towards using end-to-end machine learning and generative AI models to create realistic driving simulations for training autonomous driving systems. (12m59s)

Comparing Waymo, Tesla FSD, and comma AI's strategies (13m8s)

• Waymo's approach to autonomous driving involves mapping all the areas in which their vehicles operate and requires a lot of remote supervision, potentially requiring one to two remote supervisors per vehicle. (15m47s)
• Waymo's autonomous vehicles cost over one million dollars per year to run, with revenue estimated at $100,000 to $150,000 per year per vehicle. (17m38s)
• Waymo's reliance on lidar technology may be a long-term bottleneck, as cameras can provide sufficient information for safe autonomous driving. (20m43s)

Lidar vs. camera-based systems in autonomy and the advantages of camera-based systems over human drivers (20m52s)

• The cost of upgrading a car for autonomous driving can be significantly less than systems using lidar, with an estimated cost of $1,500. (21m22s)
• Camera-based systems have advantages over human drivers as they offer a wider field of view, superior visual fidelity, and consistent vigilance without fatigue or distractions. (21m58s)
• The current iteration of the camera-based system uses three cameras: a narrow and wide camera facing forward, providing a 180° and 40° view respectively, and a driver-facing camera to monitor attention. (23m15s)

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Autonomous vehicle rollout timeline and predictions (24m56s)

• The majority of driving miles can be completed more safely with a human driver assisted by a level 2, 3, or 4 driving system. (25m23s)
• It is predicted that a widely available self-driving taxi solution will not be available in most cities within the next five years. (26m43s)
• Open source tends to win in the long term, but there is not a major open source project for self-driving cars. (27m24s)

Open-source projects and major car manufacturers' adoption (27m33s)

• Companies often choose not to open-source their technology to avoid revealing their limitations and potentially jeopardizing their revenue streams. (28m1s)
• Legacy car manufacturers are often hesitant to adopt innovative solutions, even if they are superior, unless they perceive a direct threat to their business model. (28m56s)
• While some car manufacturers have expressed interest in Comma's open-source software, Comma remains focused on its core goals of advancing robotics and developing its own product. (31m13s)

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Self-driving technology developments in China (32m55s)

• In some parts of the world, such as Beijing or other areas in China, self-driving technology might be considered safe enough for deployment even with one intervention every 10 or 20 rides. (32m55s)
• There are six or seven different companies in China with self-driving technology comparable to Tesla. (33m38s)
• It is currently not possible to create a profitable taxi service using self-driving technology. (33m54s)

Tesla's anticipated announcements and AI integration in robotics (34m25s)

• It is highly unlikely that Tesla will be able to release a fully autonomous vehicle within the next five years. (35m24s)
• The future of robotics is likely to focus on practical applications such as factory work and household tasks, with incremental improvements to existing technologies like robot vacuums and lawnmowers. (37m41s)
• Open Pilot, an open-source robotics operating system, is being developed with the goal of creating a general understanding of video, physics, and world models to enable robots to navigate complex environments like homes and offices. (38m52s)

Accessing and contributing to open-source self-driving projects (39m48s)

• Comma's website and GitHub provide information about their products and open-source projects, including OpenPilot. (39m57s)
• Transparency is encouraged, with a suggestion that regulators should require the reporting of all interventions in autonomous driving. (40m43s)
• Public logging and sharing of interventions are proposed as starting points for increased transparency in the autonomous driving industry. (40m55s)

Data sharing and transparency in autonomous driving (41m1s)

• Companies are using data collected from autonomous driving systems to compare against their own systems. (43m1s)
• Most users of the autonomous driving system are individuals who purchase the device and install it in their personal vehicles. (43m5s)
• The autonomous driving system is easy to install, taking approximately 20 minutes. (43m8s)

Global adoption and demographics of self-driving technology (43m14s)

• Australia is a sparsely populated country with vast desert areas that pose significant risks to travelers who are unprepared. (43m18s)
• Over 50% of miles driven using Comma's self-driving technology are driven with the system engaged. (44m38s)
• People find that using driver assistance features like Tesla's FSD results in less fatigue and a smoother ride, particularly on long highway drives. (44m49s)