Lidar Blocked whenever it rains - what does the Lidar do?

[MorganB]

I am about a year late to this discussion...but I get this message EVERYTIME it rains. And that's concerning since bad weather is when you would want your sensors to work for you. Has there been any solution to this issue?

This was largely resolved by a recent software update. It happens some still but shouldn't be happening constantly.

 

[DeaneG]

Lidar can see things that radar and cameras can't. Radar can see things that Lidar and cameras can't. Cameras can see things that Lidar and radar can't. You need all three for a complete solution that works in a wide range of environmental conditions.

 

[njg-agt]

thanks Tam...then why is it in the car? and why did we pay big bucks to have it? it's like <ed: ....> and the rapid charging when there are virtually no (few) (other than Tesla) super chargers that can charge our GT's that fast.

Huh? I've seen EA working fast numerous times (when the SOC is low enough)... far above what the tesla stations could do (especially if they are limiting them to 50kw for their CCS adaptor).

 

[Adnillien]

(especially if they are limiting them to 50kw for their CCS adaptor).

Tesla is not limiting their magic dock to 50kW. The Tesla chargers only supply 500 Volts and our Lucid batteries are 900 Volts so in order to charge a Lucid, the voltage has to be stepped up. The step up is done by the Wunderbox and that is limited to 50kW.

 

[Tâm]

Huh? I've seen EA working fast numerous times (when the SOC is low enough)...

It's hit and miss. Works for some but not others.

 

[Todd]

The hyperlink is Tesla’s accident. Tesla never uses lidar, that organization doesn’t believe in outsourced parts with high cost which they cannot be controlled by vertical integration.

I’m not a Tesla hater. I’ve owned three of them in the last 7 years, but I think that there’s more to it than just vertical integration. My cars had sonar and radar installed during the manufacturing. Tesla turned off these functions with an OTA update. Tesla claimed that they wanted to pursue a vision only strategy. I suspect that cutting out future sonar and radar was a cost saving measure (that did not improve safety). It was particularly painful for those of us who had purchased cars with these functionalities, and had them deactivated by Tesla.

 

[Tesla2.0]

I’m not a Tesla hater. I’ve owned three of them in the last 7 years, but I think that there’s more to it than just vertical integration. My cars had sonar and radar installed during the manufacturing. Tesla turned off these functions with an OTA update. Tesla claimed that they wanted to pursue a vision only strategy. I suspect that cutting out future sonar and radar was a cost saving measure (that did not improve safety). It was particularly painful for those of us who had purchased cars with these functionalities, and had them deactivated by Tesla.

Long term is about increase corporate profit margin if they can get vision to be fully reliable. What turns off for me is corporate greed over public safety.

 

[MountainAir]

This was largely resolved by a recent software update. It happens some still but shouldn't be happening constantly.

I've had my car for all of 2 days now, so obviously my experience is limited, but I drove through the mountains this afternoon in some pretty heavy rain with no problems whatsoever with lidar or with adaptive cruise. I had read this thread before getting my car and was nervous about error messages in the rain. My car came with 2.1.10 loaded, so I have no experience with prior versions. Hopefully new software clears this up for everyone!

 

[Volund]

Because if Waymo can do it, hopefully we will be able to do a cheapo version of Waymo.

Waymo has much more robust hardware and firmware. We have a much more rudimentary version of Waymo.

Once Lucid is more mature, we can expect it will be able to do as described on the advertisement:

Eyes off, hands off driving is the one I'm most excited for, but with it's range of sensors and cameras, there's no reason it shouldn't be able to.

 

[Volund]

Also, before the last couple updates, I never had errors in rain, now I get lidar error in rain too

 

[Tâm]

Eyes off, hands off driving is the one I'm most excited for, but with it's range of sensors and cameras, there's no reason it shouldn't be able to.

Hands off has been a reality since 2017 with GM Super Cruise.

Current Ford Blue Cruise Is also well praised by Consumer Reports.

Consumer conditional hands off and eyes off L3 is being sold in Europe and soon in Nevada/California for 2024 car model. "Condional" because it's turned off in certain conditions such as "rain..."

 

[Tesla2.0]

Consumer conditional hands off and eyes off L3 is being sold in Europe and soon in Nevada/California for 2024 car model. "Condional" because it's turned off in certain conditions such as "rain..."

You mean Mercedes Benz EQS?

 

[Tâm]

You mean Mercedes Benz EQS?

Yes. L3 costs less than $9,000 (7,430 euros) in Europe but not sure about the price in the US:

Conditionally automated driving: Mercedes-Benz DRIVE PILOT further expands U.S. availability to the country’s most populous state through California certification

Mercedes‑Benz today announced that its class-leading DRIVE PILOT system for SAE Level 3 conditionally automated driving received certification from California state authorities.

media.mbusa.com

Mercedes Drive Pilot Level 3 ADAS Approved For Use In California

Mercedes becomes the first automaker to have an SAE Level 3 conditionally automated driving system approved for use in California in standard production cars.

insideevs.com

 

[mraschko]

I had the opportunity to drive in the rain again yesterday and I noticed something. I was stopped and had received the Lidar warning. Light changed. The car in front of me drove off and I didn't get the Traffic Cleared alert. Now, maybe I started moving too soon for the alert. Next stop light, I tried to hesitate after the car in front of me drove off. Again no alert, but it's possible that I didn't wait long enough (there was someone behind me and I didn't want to be an annoying driver). No rain today, so I can't try it again, but perhaps this is one of the things that doesn't work when Lidar isn't functioning.

 

[Adnillien]

I had the opportunity to drive in the rain again yesterday and I noticed something. I was stopped and had received the Lidar warning. Light changed. The car in front of me drove off and I didn't get the Traffic Cleared alert. Now, maybe I started moving too soon for the alert. Next stop light, I tried to hesitate after the car in front of me drove off. Again no alert, but it's possible that I didn't wait long enough (there was someone behind me and I didn't want to be an annoying driver). No rain today, so I can't try it again, but perhaps this is one of the things that doesn't work when Lidar isn't functioning.

From the manual:
Note: If the interior camera detects that you
are already facing forward, you will not receive
Traffic Drive-Off Alerts.

 

[mraschko]

From the manual:
Note: If the interior camera detects that you
are already facing forward, you will not receive
Traffic Drive-Off Alerts.

I think that camera must rarely detect that I'm facing forward.

 

[Volund]

I noticed my Dream Drive still worked, even ACC eigh the lidar sensor blocked warning. Pert of me thinks it's a fluke

 

[Tesla2.0]

Lidar will sense objects distance.
Yesterday I basically Highway Assist at rush hours all by itself. 25 minutes 0~35 mph painful driving facing direction of afternoon sun. Air Dream Drive made more pleasant and easier.

 

[DavidS]

Raining in NY this morning and I got the message "Lidar Blocked - Try Cleaning Sensor". My software is up to date with 2.1.20

 

[Tesla2.0]

Raining in NY this morning and I got the message "Lidar Blocked - Try Cleaning Sensor". My software is up to date with 2.1.20

I just got that same message briefly over weekend and it went away as soon as out of rain.