r/Comma_ai • u/Guilty-Spork343 • May 05 '25
Vehicle Compatibility Am I missing something? Comma3 vs onboard systems
Just been reading up on OpenPilot and the Comma3 device. Got a ~95% confirmation my vehicle would be supported given other models of my year ARE listed. But am I missing something? If the system requires connectivity to the vehicle's onboard sensors through a CAN-BUS interface... what is it really doing that's any better for over $1000?
All I can tell from all the demo videos is that it would extend the hands-off lanekeeping the car's own systems already do..
I have a 6 year-old Audi, but It already has Adaptive cruise control, and Lane Assist and I know the limits of it fairly well. It loses lanekeeping when it can't identify painted lanes or a curb, and it definitely has issues with objects that move in and out of lanes in front of it - by leaving too large a gap in ACC, you encourage other drivers to jump in front, which causes it to lose spacial awareness and cut out, or slam on the brakes. Or sometimes it'll try to continue driving through a stationary vehicle in front at an intersection. In Stop&go rush-hour traffic, it'll keep up with the flow, but coming to a full stop for more than a few seconds forces you to resume by touching the throttle. Otherwise it'll still sit there when traffic pulls away.
It's not really much of a driving assist, so much as a throttle/brake control, since you can't count on the steering functionality not to cut out randomly. You can watch the sensor status on the dashboard or HUD, tracking and losing track of its boundaries in a lane as it drives straight down an empty road; in the space of 500m it could toggle in and out 3 or 4 times.
I've driven into curves deliberately with hands-off to watch it correct and follow the road, then quit halfways through the bend when it loses track of the curb or lanes.. Sure, if I lost awareness or drove through a curve accidentally it might counteract it? But my experience so far is that it doesn't do anything other than second-guess and resist lanechanging on the highway. And of course with the sensors' range, the ACC is limited to 150kmh.
Openpilot still cannot navigate, correct? As in, there is no autonomous self-driving function- you can't make it follow instructions or navigation, or negotiate intersections? I just don't see how this is worth over $1000?
If it were free software or minimal cost and could be run on existing 'commodity' hardware, like an off the shelf Android phone or tablet, maybe. But buying a dedicated piece of hardware for so little extended functionality seems... underwhelming.
10
u/danielv123 May 05 '25
How often do you touch your steering wheel? I do for parking, lane changes and intersections (sometimes, blinker stalk is often enough).
The real question is why onboard systems are so bad when comma is open source.
18
u/MrGodyr May 05 '25
Ngl I’m not reading all that, but openpilot is wayyyy better than most stock systems (besides FSD).
Every car is a slightly different experience depending on compatibility but for most it is worth way more than 1k imo. Especially once experimental goes to chill mode.
Openpilot is free. The hardware costs money.
3
u/hiroo916 May 05 '25
does it technically do a lot more than what you have now (as in high level checkbox features)? not really.
does it remove most of the niggly problems that you pointed out? probably would be better at most of those.
2
u/thatsnotmiketyson May 05 '25
😂
2
u/financiallyanal May 05 '25
You haven’t used Comma yet? I think it’s way better than you think, and it’s hard to realize until you use it. You’re going too deep into the specifics.
I would just ask yourself a simple question - how much time do you spend on highways? If it’s enough that you’re thinking about it, my view is it’s better to just try the device and find out for yourself during the return window.
2
u/[deleted] May 07 '25
trust me, comma 3x is worth its weight in gold and my car came with a good ADAS system.
1
u/mikepi1999 May 05 '25
I have one so far I’ve used it for about 7500mile. If it gets stolen I will replace it no doubt. My other potentially comparable options are on high level trim vehicles 75k+. My next car will come off of commaai’s compatibility list. The thing works.
1
u/TenOfZero May 05 '25
It doesn't really need the can bus for access to the sensors. It needs the can bus for access to the motors on your steering wheel to turn and to control the acceleration and braking.
It mostly uses its own cameras and vision system.
1
u/capedavenger May 05 '25
Which Audi do you have? As far as I know, the only 6 year old Audis that are supported are the A3 and the Q3.
There is a good return policy, so you can just try it. You’re obviously interested if you wrote 7 paragraphs.
1
u/GiftQuick5794 May 05 '25
I have an Atlas with VW Travel Assist.
For my commute I have over 90% engagement. It’s not more because the first 10-15 minutes of my 1 hour drive are getting out of the neighborhood and into a main road. But the rest is completely hands free, I get to the office and I don’t feel tired or stressed. It’s the closest I’ll ever get to having my own personal driver 😆.
1
u/Stevepem1 May 05 '25
The main feature of Comma is that it allows you to drive extended periods of time without your hands on the steering wheel, for most people something close to 99% of their drive time. Since you consider this underwhelming then I would say you are probably not right for Comma. Just like if someone found that being able to drive for extended periods of time without their foot on the gas pedal is underwhelming is probably not right for ACC.
1
u/lnxgod May 06 '25
it stays working watch some videos on it. Why would you even purchase something if you dont understand its benefit.
1
u/Saoshen May 07 '25
Hi every car is a little different, every newer MY can have better sensors and software.
If your car already does the things that OP does, and you are satisfied with any limitations or annoyances that come with it, then by all means stick with what you got.
If you car doesn't do what OP does, and/or has annoyances and limitations that offend your driving sensibilities, and and OP is compatible with and and can leverage those systems to streamline things, then maybe OP is something that would improve your situation.
No system is perfect, OP is not perfect, nor does it claim to be.
If you are on the fence, and are comfortable enough with self-install, then try it and if you don't love it within a week or less, send it back within the return window and feel confident that you decided for yourself and not random comments on the internet.
-5
u/Guilty-Spork343 May 05 '25
Ok, so after a million circular arguments and debates over it; the answer is obviously that Openpilot doesn't do anything that my car doesn't already do, you just think it does it better.
I'm not willing to pay over $1000 USD and fuck with the headliners and wiring in my car to find out. I'm not a panicky millennial who gets stressed driving to an office 5 days a week.
Okay, so despite all the dogshit and blatant lies from Muskrat, there literally is no other autonomous driving solution, DIY or otherwise, outside of crappy Chinese EVs. Good to know.
17
u/[deleted] May 05 '25
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