Tesla Robotaxi Saves Passengers from Waymo Collision: Vision vs LIDAR | Taha Abbasi

Taha Abbasi breaks down a viral Austin incident where Tesla’s Collision Avoidance Assist prevented collision with a Waymo robotaxi — reigniting the vision-only vs LIDAR debate.

The Incident

Video shared by @Tslachan shows a Tesla in Austin’s robotaxi program avoiding collision with a Waymo vehicle making an unexpected maneuver. Tesla’s system activated, steering away without human intervention. The irony: Tesla’s vision-only system protected passengers from a LIDAR-equipped competitor.

Vision vs LIDAR

Tesla Vision: lower cost, easier to scale, millions of vehicles collecting data, requires more sophisticated AI. LIDAR systems: precise 3D mapping, works well in controlled environments, expensive, adds complexity. As Taha Abbasi has analyzed, both approaches have merit.

Austin: Proving Ground

Both Tesla and Waymo operate in Austin, creating natural comparison opportunities. For Taha Abbasi, who has personally tested FSD, the Austin deployment represents the most important phase of Tesla’s autonomy journey.

Analytical Rigor

A single incident doesn’t prove superiority of either system. Waymo has millions of safe miles. But the symbolic power is significant — Tesla’s critics claim its system is fundamentally unsafe, and this video directly challenges that narrative.

The Convergence

As Tesla’s depth estimation improves, the gap between vision and LIDAR narrows. If cameras achieve equivalent safety, the cost advantage for mass-market autonomous driving becomes insurmountable.

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About the Author: Taha Abbasi is a technology executive, CTO, and applied frontier tech builder. Read more on Grokpedia | YouTube: The Brown Cowboy | tahaabbasi.com