Tesla's 'self-driving' software fails at train crossings

I sometimes wonder whether we will ever solve all edge cases like the one described here; maybe, autonomous driving will always remain semi and almost there, but never quite fully

I'm sure it's more complicated than it seems (or maybe not), but that video is pretty damning. It's not like something is blocking the car's view, the lights and crossing bars are very visible. Car just doesn't notice / keeps going.

Not a fan of self-driving cars (nor of cars in general), but isn't Waymo quite a bit ahead of Tesla?

Still, since "full self-driving" is allowed to mean "not at all full self-driving" by our laws and courts, the driver is responsible for any accidents here.

Doesn't surprise me, yes, things have evolved, but 18 months ago in Pennsylvania, watching Tesla show a train crossing as an erratic conga line of trucks and an equally erratic looking traffic light.

You're missing the ELOphaNt in the room.

Fully enough for SFO: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45264562

And Nashville: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45275415

Waymo actually works, and is likely to be at or near breakeven financially.

Waymo uses remote operators to resolve situations that the car can't handle on its own (maybe that includes train crossings), so it doesn't need to be fully self-driving: https://waymo.com/blog/2024/05/fleet-response/

The SFO permit also involves an initial phase using human safety drivers in the car: https://www.sf.gov/news-mayor-lurie-takes-key-step-toward-la...

Waymo actually works because they don't insist on automating what they cannot automate safely yet.

I'm trying to understand if there is a situation where driving into a red and white stripe with flashing lights on it is correct. Does the Tesla think that because there isn't anything below the crossing arm, that the arm is actually farther away? Or it looks vaguely similar to the back of a trailer, but not enough so that is ignored?

Yeah I'm wondering the same, is the just ... baseline obstacle avoidance somehow being bypassed or failing? Those arms are right there.

It's very strange. Even if it doesn't see it as a RR crossing, there's arms right there.

Nobody hasn't got remote operators. The difference is whether there are a few enough of them for the fleet that scaling service areas doesn't break the bank.

Does Tesla have remote operators for their "FSD" cars sold to private individuals? That would be news to me.