‘A Weird Religious Stance:’ GM Exec Says Ditching Radar For Self-Driving ‘Ignores Physics’

General Motors plans to launch an autonomous driving feature for the highway by 2028, using radar, lidar, and cameras. The company argues that dropping radar doesn't make sense because it's so cheap and that relying solely on cameras ignores physics in certain situations. GM's approach is seen as a step toward a fully autonomous highway system that can operate even with the driver asleep, requiring the car to have more advanced capabilities than typical driver-assistance systems. Anderson emphasized that having more sensors than just cameras is absolutely necessary for safety and that lidar operates on a similar wavelength to visible light, helping co-train camera systems for better performance.

• GM's decision to include radar, lidar, and cameras reflects a commitment to safety and physics-based reasoning, contrasting with Tesla's camera-only approach.
• Tesla has been criticized for sticking to a camera-only system, while other developers argue that additional sensors are critical for safety.
• Waymo specifically stated that cameras "aren't enough" in certain situations, highlighting the importance of multisensor suites.
• Anderson explained that a "graceful countdown" mechanism will be implemented, allowing the car to pull over safely if the driver doesn't take over within a set time frame.

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