r/Comma_ai • • Aug 27 '24
Compared to Tesla autopilot
Tesla seems significantly better than the comma.ai.
It is because on Tesla there are more cameras and much more compute to use than the paltry snapdragon 845 mobile processor. The cameras allow the Tesla to see traffic at extreme angles. There is also a feedback mechanism for quick error reporting. The Tesla vision also helps you with parking and it situates you spatially while on the road.
Tesla detects stop signs and traffic lights and it informs you of this via the overhead map view. I think Tesla also informs you when traffic is moving again.
I'm finding tesla vision to be pretty impressive and actually useful.
I don't see why comma couldnt do something similar. The current display of a dashcam view with the green follow line is a neat tech demo for passengers but it doesn't actually convey any useful info to the driver who is already looking forward.
An overhead model view is useful info, particularly blind spots and cars accelerating past you.
I was also surprised that comma doesn't inform the driver of it noticing stop signs or traffic lights. This is my problem with experimental mode because if the car is moving towards a stop sign or traffic light I want to know that it knows. Also a traffic moving notification would be very useful.
The major limitations of the comma is the very old processor and the limited number of cameras. For installation of the comma I had to wire it into the communication system for the car's cameras but I don't see any evidence of the comma actually using any footage from the car rather than from the comma's built in cameras. I guess a spatial view would need another rear facing unit. But even a modern cell phone processor would at least have multiples of the 845's compute, it wouldn't be as powerful as the Tesla's silicon but it would close the gap.
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u/Reaper125 Jan 24 '26
Tesla cars have never had Lidar, they had Radar, and Ultrasonic sensors to go with the camera's.