Part 8/12:
The hardware costs for robo-taxis are surprisingly manageable. Sensors like solid-state LiDAR are now under $600 each, and with multiple sensors per vehicle, the incremental cost is not prohibitive. Tesla's approach, relying heavily on cameras and deep learning, is touted as a cost-effective path toward full autonomy.
However, achieving true "full self-driving" remains elusive. Current systems are still moving toward Level 4/5 autonomy, and regulatory hurdles continue to slow deployment. Despite these setbacks, continuous improvements in AI—like Tesla’s V12 chip, which learns from video data—are promising.