Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) has announced that it will no longer use radar in its driver-assistance features, including the self-driving ‘Autopilot’’ system.
In a blog post, the company said its best-selling Model 3 and Model Y vehicles made for customers in the U.S. and Canada will now feature a camera-based system to enable Autopilot features such as traffic-adjusted cruise control and automatic lane-keeping.
Radar sensors are expensive, and Tesla has previously told shareholders that it believes “a vision-only system is all that is needed for full autonomy” and that it planned to launch “Tesla Vision” in the North American market.
The electric vehicle maker also cautioned that Autopilot and self-driving systems would not be as useful or as strong during this period of technical adjustments.
All Tesla vehicles include a standard set of advanced driver assistance features dubbed “Autopilot.” Tesla also sells a $10,000 premium software package marketed as “Full Self Driving” or FSD. Tesla gives drivers early access to a beta version of FSD — effectively turning thousands of customers into software testers on public roads in the U.S. and Canada
According to the company’s website, Autopilot currently enables a Tesla vehicle to “steer, accelerate and brake automatically within its lane” and FSD adds features such as automatic lane changing.
Tesla cautions that Autopilot and FSD require active supervision. But some drivers incorrectly believe that a Tesla is safe to operate hands-free, asleep at the wheel or while sitting in the back of the car.
Other automakers are taking a different approach when it comes to the development, rollout and marketing of automated driving systems. GM Cruise (NYSE:GM), Alphabet’s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Waymo, Aurora and others are including radar and lidar alongside cameras in their self-driving systems.
While cameras capture video that can be interpreted by machine-learning software, radar and lidar sensors provide additional data that can give cars a more robust way to detect and avoid obstacles on the road, especially when visibility is low at night or in inclement weather.
Tesla said it intends to keep radar in its higher-cost Model S and Model X vehicles and in Model 3 and Model Y cars made in China or for shipment to markets beyond North America for now.