Monday, December 19, 2016

Uber Throws Tesla Under the Autonomous Bus

Of all the commentary on the Uber-Cali imbroglio, this from Uber's VP of autonomous (he co-founded Uber acquisition Otto and built Google's first self-driving car, now stand-alone Waymo) via TechCrunch may be the funniest:
...Levandowski repeatedly compared Uber’s self-driving cars, which have been on the road in Pittsburgh since mid-September and in San Francisco this week, to Tesla’s self-driving technology. Tesla owners don’t need a special permit to drive their cars, he argued — so why should the Uber engineers who currently sit behind the wheel of Uber’s self-driving vehicles?
In order to be considered truly autonomous, Levandowski said an Uber vehicle would need to be able to drive itself without human intervention and oversight. “We believe Tesla is right and our vehicles are just like Tesla’s...
I can just hear Mr. Musk calling Mr. Kalanick: "Dude, what the hell?"

Here's more Levandowski at The Verge:
...“You don’t need to wear a belt and suspenders and whatever else, things that don’t apply, if you’re wearing a dress,” Levandowski said. “If you’re driving a car, you don’t need a fish and game permit.”...
If interested you can read up on Mr. Levandowski at the Backchannel link in Saturday's "Uber Tells California It Won't Be Applying For An Autonomous Driving Permit, California Tells Uber The State's Attorney General Will Be In Touch"

In other Uber news, The Times de Londres reports:
Uber drivers accused of boosting fares by selling passengers drugs
while the NY Daily News has
Uber driver in Michigan stabs passenger five times, says he ‘disrepected’ the car


See also:
Thurs Dec 15
Uber Rolls Out S.F. Self-Driving Cars, California Says Uber Needs A Permit For Autonomous, Uber Says No, It Doesn't, California Says...
Tues Dec 13
"Uber to put self-driving cars on the road in SF 'very soon'"