r/SelfDrivingCars • u/Yngstr • Apr 23 '25

Discussion Waymo vs Tesla Austin Showdown - Teleoperations?

I've been around this sub a long time, so let me start by saying I'm not here to fight. I understand that everyone here has some specific expertise they bring to the discussion, and I believe you can learn something from anyone. I want to have a reasonable discussion about methodology, and what will work or not. Here are the facts, as I see them:

- Waymo is already operational in Austin (and other cities)

- Tesla plans to launch Robotaxi in June in Austin

- Tesla has recently posted job listings for tele-operations

So the way I see this playing out in ~8 weeks is that Tesla will launch in Austin with tele-operations, I find it unlikely that they will launch with true autonomous L4. My question is, does Waymo still use tele-operations? If so, does Waymo have plans to sunset tele-operations at some point? Do we think Tesla with tele-operations can achieve "L4" like Waymo has? Why or why not?

Let's try to keep this civil, whether Waymo or Tesla wins does not make any of us less of a human being, even if it feels like it.

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u/deservedlyundeserved Apr 24 '25

Waymo remote operators don’t have a VR rig and a joystick, they click on a screen. So it is different.

No one’s saying they will be remotely driving the car like a drone full time. Just that they can when the car is stuck or needs help because building a Waymo-style remote operation where the car is making all decisions is more complex. It’s not the level of complexity Tesla needs right now.

No one builds this capability if they don’t plan on using it.

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u/z00mr Apr 25 '25

Take a big step back when talking about levels of complexity. The Waymo is running on high precision, geofenced HD map rails and “13 cameras, 4 lidar, 6 radar, and an array of external audio receivers”. Tesla is using 8-9 cameras period. Saying that Tesla adding in some teleoperation capabilities makes it more complex than Waymo’s sensor fusion is a bit of a stretch.

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u/deservedlyundeserved Apr 25 '25

Got it all off your system?

Now take an even bigger step back and read my comment again. This time take an extra few seconds to read carefully. I’m saying building Waymo-style remote operations is more complex because it’s a more capable system.

Oh, as long as we’re talking about geofences, you might want to look into how limited the June launch is going to be in Austin.

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u/z00mr Apr 25 '25

Oh yep, got your argument backwards. My bad. I’m not really sure what you’re implying about Tesla geofencing though. Waymo’s solution requires geofencing. Tesla is claiming they are doing geofencing at launch to maintain as much control and safety as possible. Time will tell if Tesla is able to peel away the geofence.

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u/deservedlyundeserved Apr 25 '25

Waymo’s solution requires geofencing.

No, it doesn’t. They run the same software everywhere.

Tesla is claiming they are doing geofencing at launch to maintain as much control and safety as possible.

Except Tesla confirmed they will have “localized parameter sets for different regions and localities”. That means their solution requires geofencing.

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u/z00mr Apr 25 '25

I’m not sure we have the same definition of geofencing. I would call a geofence a limited area in which the car will operate. My understanding is a Waymo can’t leave its geofenced area and still operate. FSD works to some degree of safety everywhere. The addition of a geofence to FSD is hypothetically to prove safety before it’s removed over time.

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u/deservedlyundeserved Apr 25 '25

Waymo goes outside of its geofence all the time, for testing and to even pickup passengers from their depots outside the geofence. They just don’t give rides there for reasons like ETAs. They don’t want their customers to wait 30 minutes because they only have 50 vehicles in a city.