Spotted in Phoenix AZ

It’s how they validate FSD maps or whatever.

It’s a test car with lidar. They use it to have something to measure against the FSD system to grade its performance.

It’s posted like every week but all the posts are titled “what is this thing” or “what is Tesla doing?” So it’s unsearchable.

They're here

They are doing the final validation for robotaxi, which is supposed to start a closed beta in a few weeks. Hopefully, the competition will drive down the cost of Waymo rides even more.

Yeah bro and i don’t accept his/her apology for posting an oversaturated topic. I suggest 3 lashes and a hunnit hours of community service in North Korea, i would say we punish them properly but im feeling a little forgiving today /u/FitForThrone you report tomorrow at 0500.

as far as ik, all tesla employees sign an NDA at hiring

Will report cap won't happen again!

It’s lidar because Tesla is mapping. Yep Elon lies. Elon lies. Incredible anyone believes Elon

This is all public information. They have permits and such. It is public.

Saw one this past week in Dallas/Ft. Worth area...

OPE

Looks like a nice enough place to get drunk and smoke cigarettes.

This is my favorite spot for that actually

I originally thought lidar too, but close up shots show mostly (if not only) cameras. Might just be extra angles or something

Saw two of these driving back to back in the SF East Bay. My best assumption was that it was a verification method against Tesla's fsd

I've seen a car before... is this new thing for you?

They use it in areas they’re trying to get extra FSD data on (especially in CyberTaxi areas).

Cars with silly car tech poles on top?

Those are validation cars with Lidars, doing work 9n each city where Robotaxi is about to be deployed.

Ever heard of a waymo taxi or seen one the Google mapping vehicles

So its similar to others using HDMaps for their autonomy?

Yep, everyone uses something a little different looking. Tesla is using LiDAR in those towers.

Nobody outside Tesla really knows despite the litany of confident answers you'll get here.

No

Just another way for Tesla to use drivers to gather information for fee , that Tesla can later sale …

Its just somebody using their tesla to do google maps ya’ll

Competition to WayMo ! Driverless customer Transportation. 😃

Its in Austin Texas , side by side with Waymo . 😃

OP says it's in PHX.

Correct regardless of role

Sorry… Should have also in Austin Texas . 😃

My dumb ass thought the sign was attached to the car lmao...

Ahh ok. So I take it that robotaxi is cheaper than waymo in Austin?

Yeah, they've been testing in the Valley for a while now. Caught them in Queen Creek/STV a couple months ago: [https://x.com/jessgoldberg/status/1981149007981531593](https://x.com/jessgoldberg/status/1981149007981531593)

Judging by the position of the cameras, can this be a way to validate FSD on something bigger, like a Tesla Semi, without having to meet the risk and permit requirements for a semi?

saw a few in Tempe as well about a month ago

Data validation

Yes it is by almost 50%-70% because to get a Waymo in Austin you have to use the uber app which is a hit or miss but a $12 Waymo(uber) ride would be like $3.60 in a Robotaxi

It’s lidar.

Nice. In PHX waymo is usually a couple dollars less than a Lyft or Uber because that's their competition right now.

Almost! 😃

They don’t use lidar any more.

Yes.

I recognize South Mountain, I still own a house at the foot of it but I've been living in California while working at a space company. I'm estimating that's on Southern, but what other street?

Baseline and 16th St. :)

Ah that's why. I'm so used to driving down 24th towards it, where the skyline is a bit higher