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Chris Urmson: Is Lidar a Crutch? | AI Podcast Clips
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This is a clip from a conversation with Chris Urmson on the Artificial Intelligence podcast. You can watch the full conversation here: http://bit.ly/313K4Rf If you enjoy these, consider subscribing, sharing, and commenting below. Full episode: http://bit.ly/313K4Rf Full episodes playlist: http://bit.ly/2EcbaKf Clips playlist: http://bit.ly/2JYkbfZ Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/ai Chris Urmson was the CTO of the Google Self-Driving Car team, a key engineer and leader behind the Carnegie Mellon autonomous vehicle entries in the DARPA grand challenges and the winner of the DARPA urban challenge. Today he is the CEO of Aurora Innovation, an autonomous vehicle software company he started with Sterling Anderson, who was the former director of Tesla Autopilot, and Drew Bagnell, Uber's former autonomy and perception lead. Subscribe to this YouTube channel or connect on: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexfridman - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman - Medium: https://medium.com/@lexfridman - Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman
Segments Timeline
The Role of Lidar in Autonomous Vehicles
Chris Urmson discusses the significance of Lidar as a primary sensor in autonomous vehicles, emphasizing the importance of a multi-sensor approach that includes cameras and radars. He addresses Elon Musk's provocative claim that Lidar is a 'crutch' for self-driving technology, arguing that while humans can drive using passive vision, Lidar plays a crucial role in enhancing vehicle safety and functionality.
"he said leiter came into the game early on and it's really the primary driver of autonomous vehicles today as a sensor so how important is the role of light are in the sensor suite in the near term so..."
Technology as a Means to Save Lives
Urmson highlights the urgent need for technological advancements in transportation to reduce the alarming number of road fatalities in the U.S. He argues that any technology that accelerates the development of self-driving cars and improves safety should be embraced, regardless of whether it involves Lidar or other sensors. He critiques the arbitrary dismissal of Lidar in favor of other technologies.
"can drive using you know passive vision no doubt can't argue with that in terms of sensors yeah so yes sensors right so like there's there's an example that you know we all go do it many of us every d..."
Cost vs. Safety in Sensor Technology
In this segment, Urmson addresses the tension between cost and safety in the development of autonomous vehicle sensor suites. He discusses the importance of finding economically viable solutions that ensure safety rather than simply opting for the cheapest sensors. He emphasizes that the effectiveness of the sensor suite is paramount, as a more expensive sensor may provide necessary functionality that cheaper alternatives cannot.
"say well you know I'm I'm not okay with using lasers because that's whatever but I am okay with using an 8 megapixel camera or a 16 megapixel camera you know like it's just these are just bits of tech..."
Driving Down Costs of Lidar Technology
Urmson explores the future of Lidar technology, discussing its potential for cost reduction and the economic models that could support its integration into autonomous vehicles. He explains that while Lidar may inherently be more expensive than cameras, advancements in technology and business models could lead to significant cost reductions, making it a viable option for widespread use in self-driving systems.
"system what you also want is a sense suite that and so it's great to tell a story about how you know how it'd be better to have a self-driving system with a $50 sensor instead of a you know $500 answe..."