To illustrate the problems with optical sensors. What happens when the headlights fail, or if one of them fails, or if a bunch of snow or ice builds up in front of them?
I also addressed some of the problems with relying on headlights at the end of my comment: to get better visibility, you need more light. This doesn't come without costs to the environment and to other drivers (like those who don't have driverless cars yet); in fact, too-bright lights are making it unsafe to drive at night now.
As an aside, I think it should be illegal for anyone to have a car with non-halogen headlights without automatic high-beam dimming. Xenon and LED lights are great for illuminating dark roadways, but they're horrible when they on the car coming towards you, and that driver is too stupid or careless to dim their high beams. Temporary blindness is the result of this.
> What happens when the headlights fail, or if one of them fails, or if a bunch of snow or ice builds up in front of them?
What's expected of a normal driver when the headlights fail? Turning on the hazard blinkers, slowing down carefully, and finding their way to the shoulder?
Ah yes, I can't wait for my future where my car refuses to drive me because one of the headlight sensors shows it's failed when it's working fine and the other is fine.
Correct, the visibility is the thing you'd want to look out for because it applies to a wide range of issues, including a camera with a blocked lens (either intentionally or by something like a wet leaf).
I also addressed some of the problems with relying on headlights at the end of my comment: to get better visibility, you need more light. This doesn't come without costs to the environment and to other drivers (like those who don't have driverless cars yet); in fact, too-bright lights are making it unsafe to drive at night now.
As an aside, I think it should be illegal for anyone to have a car with non-halogen headlights without automatic high-beam dimming. Xenon and LED lights are great for illuminating dark roadways, but they're horrible when they on the car coming towards you, and that driver is too stupid or careless to dim their high beams. Temporary blindness is the result of this.