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Self-driving car on Moscow streets after snowfall [video]

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Re: Self-driving car on Moscow streets after snowfall [video]

#91

Post by konart »

kurthr wrote: post #43
neutered_knot wrote: post #13

If you look closely the car is driving in circles. They revisit the same roads many times in just a few block radius.

I also noticed that it was driving 25... I assumed that was 25 km/hr, which is pretty darned slow (15mph) even on snowy city streets. However, it could be that they're running the car in US mph instead?

It was 25-33km\h, yeah. But you can't drive faster than 40 in this kind of area legaly.

And the top cap for the city is 60 (except for things like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Ring_Road, you can also go to 80 when overtaking and many people abuse this rule to go ~80 all the time)

Re: Self-driving car on Moscow streets after snowfall [video]

#93

Post by alkonaut »

cesarb wrote: post #85
alkonaut wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because it's harder to orientate when you can't see the street markings, see the street signs, when your cameras are snowed over. If you tried parking a new BMW after a snow storm and looked out the rear camera you know what I mean. Basically they have to do all they normally do but just the equipment they need to keep cameras and lidars without snow either costs an extra fortune, OR the passengers will have to start…

> but just the equipment they need to keep cameras and lidars without snow either costs an extra fortune Sorry if I'm being ignorant (where I live, below 20°C is really cold weather, and the lowest it gets is around 10°C, which I don't recall ever seeing), but wouldn't heaters be enough?

I’m not sure what would be required (currently few manufacturers get this right). Heaters take a long time to clear ice when starting if the car has a lot of snow and ice on it.

VW has a good solution for their rear camera which is actually hidden under a hatch (the VW emblem) so it’s protected when unused.

I’m picturing that future autonomous cars will need this type of solution for many sensors, similar to the “flip up headlights” of some 80s cars. Not least because lidars are also very expensive so you may not want them easy to grab from a parked car.

Re: Self-driving car on Moscow streets after snowfall [video]

#96

Post by seeekr »

So this video features a self-driving car developed by Yandex. Does someone have insight into why so many big tech companies seem to all be in agreement that developing self-driving cars is an area they need to be pursuing? Is it mostly everyone looking at what Google is doing and replicating that? Or is it the getting swept up by the Uber hype? Or is working on self-driving car software just such a natural extension to what these tech companies have been doing all along in their main areas of expertise anyway?

(I feel like this question must have been brought up a number of times already, since these projects have been going on for a while by now.)

Re: Self-driving car on Moscow streets after snowfall [video]

#97

Post by lokopodium »

seeekr wrote: post #96

So this video features a self-driving car developed by Yandex. Does someone have insight into why so many big tech companies seem to all be in agreement that developing self-driving cars is an area they need to be pursuing? Is it mostly everyone looking at what Google is doing and replicating that? Or is it the getting swept up by the Uber hype? Or is working on self-driving car software just such a natural extension…

Yandex runs an Uber-like service in Russia, would make total sense to get driverless cars.

Re: Self-driving car on Moscow streets after snowfall [video]

#98

Post by berbec »

mozumder wrote: post #19
ocdtrekkie wrote: post #2

If anyone was going to focus on making sure their self-driving car could drive in snow, it'd be the Russians. Mind you, self-driving when snow has coated all your landmarks is definitely impressive, but the title made me think it'd be driving in snow . Which it isn't. The roads are, what we'd call in Chicago, "clear". The car is not driving in/on snow or ice in this scenario, which is something I do regularly every w…

Rochester NY is probably the best place in the world for actual snow driving. Daily snowfall during the winter due to lake-effect snow. It's where I trained to drive a rear-wheel drive Camaro. Very useful place.

The difference between what most of New York considers undriveable and Rochester considers "normal Tuesday" is amazing. Three inches on the ground going to get your garbage plate is considered part for the course.

Re: Self-driving car on Moscow streets after snowfall [video]

#99

Post by nmbr213 »

lokopodium wrote: post #97
seeekr wrote: post #96

So this video features a self-driving car developed by Yandex. Does someone have insight into why so many big tech companies seem to all be in agreement that developing self-driving cars is an area they need to be pursuing? Is it mostly everyone looking at what Google is doing and replicating that? Or is it the getting swept up by the Uber hype? Or is working on self-driving car software just such a natural extension…

Yandex runs an Uber-like service in Russia, would make total sense to get driverless cars.

They actually did a sort-of merger for post-Soviet territory

https://yandex.ru/blog/company/130717

https://www.uber.com/ru/blog/future-uber-yandex/

Re: Self-driving car on Moscow streets after snowfall [video]

#100

Post by golergka »

I live in the neighborhood; these streets are all around Yandex headquarters. It's one of the best districts in the whole city, streets rigorously cleaned, very light traffic and surprisingly cultured drivers. Even after recent record-breaking snowfalls, these streets were very clear short after.

Would love to see them trying to drive anywhere else in the city though.

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