Major update for Tesla self-driving software
Tesla will roll out an upgrade to the autopilot software for its electric vehicles in the coming weeks.
The use of more advanced signal processing to create a “picture of the world” through radar is the focus of the upgrade.
Radar was added to all Tesla vehicles in October 2014 as part of the Autopilot hardware suite, but was only meant to be a supplementary sensor to the primary camera and image processing system.
“We now believe it can be used as a primary control sensor,” said Tesla.
The radar can see people, but they appear translucent. Wood or painted plastic is almost as transparent as glass to radar, while any metal surface with a dish shape is reflective and is amplified to many times its actual size.
To help its cars’ radar avoid false alarms, Tesla’s new software unlocks access to six-times as many radar objects with the same hardware – with a lot more information per object.
Those radar snapshots, which take place every tenth of a second, are assembled into a 3D “picture” of the world.
“Most difficult is handling approaching a bridge where the road dips underneath, as this often looks like a collision course.”
For this, Tesla said it has to use its fleet learning system.
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