Self-driving van in S. Tahoe to test the snow
By Darrell Etherington, TechCrunch
Waymo is working on one of the key areas it still needs to tackle ahead of any general public launch of its self-driving technology: snow.
The company’s vehicles still had a lot to learn in this specific realm as of late last year, and it’s one of the most challenging road conditions any autonomous vehicle can face, because of the effects of deep cold and blanketing snow not only on traction and vehicle handling, but also on sensors and optics.
Waymo CEO John Krafcik posted a tweet Monday with an image of the Waymo Chrysler Pacifica minivan, kitted out with its in-house self-driving sensor technology, in a snowy setting at South Lake Tahoe.
One thing for certain; it won’t represent the lowest IQ operating a vehicle in the south Lake snow.