How do self-driving cars “see”? - Sajan Saini

Take a look at the LIDAR and integrated photonics technologies that help self-driving cars navigate obstacles, no matter the environment, weather or light.
--
It’s late, pitch dark and a self-driving car winds down a narrow country road. Suddenly, three hazards appear at the same time. With no human at the wheel, the car uses smart eyes, sensors that’ll resolve these details all in a split-second. How is this possible? Sajan Saini explains how LIDAR and integrated photonics technology make self-driving cars a reality.
Lesson by Sajan Saini, directed by Artrake Studio.
Learn more about integrated photonics: aimphotonics.academy
Learn how integrated photonic chips are made: www.aimphotonics.com
Sign up for our newsletter: bit.ly/TEDEdNewsletter
Support us on Patreon: bit.ly/TEDEdPatreon
Follow us on Facebook: bit.ly/TEDEdFacebook
Find us on Twitter: bit.ly/TEDEdTwitter
Peep us on Instagram: bit.ly/TEDEdInstagram
View full lesson: ed.ted.com/lessons/how-do-sel...

[@pranamyabelvai7488]

This narration and animation can make anything interesting

[@bradleyhite3476]

Next “the science of taking a poop” or “how to make an average sandwich”

[@eggheadoriginal2303]

IKR. Like I wish we could like watch videos in school like this! If we did I would be able to learn a lot better. I would be making 100 A's.

[@kellyl470]

I love the narrator's voice too

[@DaniAlexandria]

Ted-Ed always coming with the answers to question I ask in my head but never say out loud

[@faheedxalkh]

Yoi banget

[@Cristhian_Perez]

MATH Genius that was beautifully said

[@jadexige]

The funny thing is that Tesla don't use Lidar due to its high cost and low reliability

[@pauloketch4635]

You really pretty Dani

[@paolalafauci3444]

Thank you for shortening down to 5 minutes almost the entire course of MS Optoelectronic i took this year. Amazing how concepts such as a MZ modulator and integrated photonics can be explained in such an easy way.

[@stormysamreen7062]

Self-driving car: "sees" a pedestrian with a club Self-driving car: "Why do i hear boss music?"

[@rndmzr153]

self-driving car- *switches to manual gamer in car-*it's showtime

[@anatine_banana_69]

The club: Alright! Here we go again

[@stormysamreen7062]

@Aaron Yu **Jazz music stops**

[@thekrampuselbananoquevivee9947]

purification in progress

[@cheyenne9081]

Ted Ed is phenomenal. I’m constantly impressed and thankful for your work in making knowledge so accessible and digestible. I’ve learned so much from watching this channel, and your videos have prompted me to delve deeper into different topics I don’t think I ever would’ve gotten the opportunity to. Thanks for all your hard work❤️

[@duchi882]

*A better question* How does a Tow Truck drive backwards at 80 km/h and becomes a secret agent

[@szuhat2135]

The best movie.

[@sabrinas.1302]

I understood that reference

[@Dan-bn8yo]

wonderful animation as always!

[@elekashkara6456]

Ted-Ed always answers my everyday questions. What a splendid KZbin channel!

[@christopherbarrett2220]

Ted-Ed describes things with so much detail in a way that no other science youtube channel does. Thank you for that. You are an amazing teacher and educator

[@makarov-fatheroffairies8788]

I have seen CARS movie enough times to believe cars have eyes in their windows and the ventilation as their mouth

[@benjamindinh7612]

Makarov -Father of fairies top ten smartest people in the world

[@momofdomandella]

👌🏻👏 congrats 🎉

[@Adnan_Khan__111]

Yes and I can feel whether the car is angry or happy.

[@TheRyhn]

I love the tone of this Narrator the most, I could listen to him all day

[@stormysamreen7062]

4:58 Person who manufactured the car: "Am I a joke to you?"

[@ghostderazgriz]

Machines do most of that work as well to be honest.

[@stormysamreen7062]

@@ghostderazgriz But their work cannot be counted as labour.

[@ghostderazgriz]

@@stormysamreen7062 exactly?

[@makarlock]

Yeah except...visual resolution of lidar (like color) is abysmal-especially for now. Like Elon said, the roads are made for eyes: rely on vision first, supplement with lidar and ultrasonics. I do have to say, mega respect to Ted-Ed, and it’s cool that they talking about the actual electronics of it.

[@GuitarGuy650]

Then maybe pursue more scientific qualifications and publish a video yourself?

[@mdrew44628]

Lidar doesn't have anything to do with color. It just generates a point cloud that is converted to a 3d image

[@jerry3790]

Real N He does have a point though, while Lidar as a technology is cool, camera technology is getting to a point where it’s no longer necessary.

[@McHrozni]

@@jerry3790 LIDAR is inherently better. With camera you're making the machine operate as a human would. That's like designing a car with legs. Sure, it would be cool. I love AT-ATs. But wheels are just so much more practical on a machine. Let a machine be a machine and not emulate nature when there is a better way. Eventually I expect to use a combination of LIDAR with camera backup for extra safety. An IR camera that sees through fog and in pitch darkness that is.

[@fabischn90]

LIDAR is better for depth resolution than stereoscopic photogrammetry. Sensor fusion wouldn't be and issue since the sensors and camera are static relative to each other

[@abderraoufkhodja7567]

Great job, you have done a great deal of emphasis on the sensor part of a self-driving car. However, you did not mention at all the decision-making mechanism, which is in my opinion, the real challenge of self-driving, I think that video on deep learning would be highly appreciated.

[@yasser5846]

But Tesla doesn’t use Lidar, so we need another video

[@jasperizak123]

Yup. Elon does not like LiDAR

[@xtra_612]

He is using golems

[@zodiacfml]

They need another title like "HOW LIDAR WORKS". Self driving is not exclusive to cars using LIDAR.

[@Qual_]

@@jasperizak123 That's not true at all. They implemented it into the Dragon Cargo to dock with the ISS. He just said it's useless in a model driven by cameras and neural networks.

[@leonidasthompson2380]

how do you know 🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓

[@vjazz9374]

Havent thought of this before! The scientists and engineers who invented LIDAR are really innovative. Can LIDARs see color too?

[@TheRock-zo7zl]

Another gem from TED after long time 💎❤️

[@avramdanielenriquez6909]

What a great and simple explanation of solid state lidar, I am impressed!

[@briannabushman7677]

As someone who doesn't drive for health reasons and wants a fully autonomous vehicle in the future, this was really informative on how self-driving cars actually work! Thanks Ted-Ed :)

[@suntzu2102]

TedEd astounds yet again! #TedEd-at-its-best!

[@DMacB42]

Some of the best narration on KZbin

[@royal6355]

This channel deserves more likes and views.

[@ibrahimabdalla1642]

keep up the good work, thanks for explaining complex things simply,

[@lmfao7224]

Forever answering questions I never asked but am fascinated by the answer

[@user-ci2lg1lw5b]

무인자동차가보는 방법을 구체적으로 배워보는 좋은 시간이 되었습니다. 무인자동차의 과학적원리가 참 대단해 보였습니다. 저의 궁금증이 하나 더 해결되었습니다. 좋은 영상 감사합니다.

[@ritakirillos6231]

The best answers and information

[@hungvu2774]

That is actually a question I still wonder until now, though, thank you.

[@obayalkaseeh6509]

Quite interesting. Top-notch narration and animation. Loved it❤

[@ChanwooPark-me1wc]

어릴 때는 공상과학 영화에서만 나오는 내용이라고 생각했지만, 지금 실제로 시험 운행 중에 있는 자율주행 자동차들을 보면 정말 기술이 많이 발전했다는 것을 느끼고 있습니다. 저는 자율주행 자동차들이 내장되어 있는 카메라로 주변 환경을 본다고 생각했는데, 이 영상을 보니 오히려 박쥐가 초음파를 이용해 길을 찾는 방법과 더 유사한 것 같습니다. 유익한 영상 감사합니다!

[@sathvik9487]

thanks ted-ed i was planing to make a project on it and you just made it more intresting

[@amayaphotos8016]

A vey satisfying video.

[@KhushiGupta-ou7cd]

Keep posting these type of animations to help us learn practically......

[@naveenrraj]

Good learning....ted make rockz...brave voice. Clear and sharp to listen..

[@safetyfor2833]

Crazy! These people are incredible

[@meso_p]

thanks for the lesson ted

[@manu40729]

Mesmerising !

[@chinmayrishu1536]

👌 I love you people who create this video.

[@showaibzaman400]

Love your animation 😇 and the narrator.

[@Brainstorm69]

I highly recommend Lex Friedmans series on autonomous vehicles. Great introduction into the self driving space.

[@haltarys]

Damn ! You're uploading this video right after i created a self driving car program !

[@tedyto97]

I've literally been asking this question in my mind a lot haha!

[@senor_nathak]

You are best at explaining

[@mrhadron6692]

I like your videos so much it really is a great educational channel

[@avinashmuraleedhar]

Awsome work❤

[@GeoAlex71]

TED-Ed again with super simple animation and great explanation, Keep Going >>

[@Domesticgoddess12]

My IQ has risen! Thank you for answering the questions I ask myself in my head!!!!

[@polari6196]

Oh nice one of the first time to be here so early

[@naveenraj2008eee]

Another amazing video with great animation ted-ed... Iam fan of your channel.. It gives me more knowledge Thank you ted-ed...🙏👍

[@a-wanderingcloud0-014]

Amazing 👍🏻

[@franklin7243]

Ted Ed needs to open a school these vids are so great

[@anshuman_eek]

I love those quotes before videos 📕👏

[@arfn1973]

TED-Ed awsering question, that i may never use in real life. This why they're the best!

[@harrylarry205]

Good video! I subscribed and liked!

[@exoticmatter9546]

As always sooting voice of narrator and intelligible animation

[@stormysamreen7062]

2:27 "Use something else" Literally

[@ghostderazgriz]

Oh I just noticed that it's labeled that way xD that's hilarious.

[@IELTSMR]

it is just awesome

[@hsaqib8995]

Thank you

[@usama57926]

wow thank u so much sir

[@Mustafa-eg7uc]

Pretty awesome

[@thatgamerboy3467]

I think we can all agree that, this person is our favorite ted-ed narrator.

[@ucanhngo6787]

Good video

[@obayrafi2632]

Great Thank you

[@fullStackInKannada]

Nice video, worth Watching :)

[@thelovewillgone]

Nice, I work with lidar to use on self driving car in California

[@kingdean3574]

I love ted ed 💞♥️😍

[@harikishore2514]

We take technology as granted we don't realize how complex it is until someone make video like this.

[@roelsvideosandstuffs1513]

Maybe not all.

[@CultureIsKey]

I studied physics then dropped out of my full ride with my kid years ago. I did develop an ego because of it because I thought I knew everything. Finding years’ old videos of Ted that I hadn’t realized I missed completely, I realize I know nothing.

[@ASLTheatre]

This makes you appreciate your eyes. Your eyes and brain does this naturally.

[@thegamecracks1317]

1:53 I would suggest thickening the beam, and using a color other than green to represent light bouncing back. The green beam is harder to see because it is against a blue background, and it practically disappears if viewed on the lowest resolution, 144p.

[@soumayaben-nabet3174]

so interesting

[@lelenovo6296]

this is some hardcore electrical engineering, humans did come a long way

[@poweroffriendship2.0]

_HOW DO SELF-DRIVING CARS "SEES"..._ *Pixar:* Hold my vodka

[@ATERAH]

Lol

[@hhampole]

Good one...Lol.

[@Biocellclasses]

Thanks

[@anuradhakulkarni7390]

I got a self driving car ad before this!

[@AL_O0]

Whatever a Mach-sender modulator is, it sure sounds like it is cool

[@siddharthmaurya3675]

Hey @Ted-ed, how come light Ray possibly get reflected and absorbed in a sensor, Radar, sonar works on the reflection of the waves, but how come light???

[@xponen]

light ray, radar, and sonar are all waves. They are same, they work the same way. Can you ask again what you're asking?

[@anuragtimilsina2834]

I wonder what quality content I would watch if Ted Ed didn't exist?

[@emviep8646]

I wish it's applicable to blind people for navigation especially on detecting the height of obstacles... So they know what next step is... Well, there's a limit to everything

[@hsryu5569]

How does Ted ED constantly upload videos explaining things that I was just thinking about

[@0xjrr]

Nice presentation, but the real question is what happens when multiple lidars interfere with one another. The chances are low because of the time scales, but if there's a sufficient number of self-driving cars, there's got to be lidar pulse sync at some point between 2 or more cars.

[@cyanx14]

Self-driving car: *sees an insect 10 meters infront.* Self-driving car: *Drifts like Vin Diesel.*

[@necromax13]

I'm gonna take my *self driving car* to the old town roooooad

[@MadieMiller-Hapie_Madie101]

thank you TED-Ed for this wholesome break from the James/Tati drama

[@TheEshanDas]

Brilliant video. But i believe detection is not the main problem currently, but the main problem is to identify and track objects reliably. And also the ethical dilemma (which is already explained in another ted-ed video).

[@confused_horse]

How does a Lidar system distinguish between its own reflected impulses and ones emitted by an ongoing car which is suited with the same system?

[@viralpatel8456]

NEXT VIDEO How we read viewers mind and made our video with such a good animation

[@acthree7781]

My English is bad , so... hope you guys can understand my meaning , I have a question , if one super short laser into the another LIDAR system will have problem?

[@sriram3710]

How it would detect fast moving obstacles like an animal running across the road ,we humans will switch to right if it's running from right to left ,but what will the automated car do ? Will it automatically stop until it crosses?

[@sketchyskies8531]

Cool

[@shinchanthebest]

118 liker and 7 minutes ago uploaded AND NOTIFICATION SQUADD!!!

[@arfn1973]

2020 vision? I see TED-Ed is cultured organization as well.

[@jerry3790]

I can’t see into the future because I don’t have 2020 vision.

[@latinapatina4785]

What if a selfdriving car meets another selfdriving car? Will they collide??

[@guineapiggies9040]

I got an ad for courses for self-driving cars before this

[@thaile6149]

What if the moose moves? How will the lidar adjust for the sudden moves?

[@osse1n]

*They are watching us - ALWAYS*

[@eriksvensson9484]

‘Anyone relying on lidar is doomed,’ -Elon Musk

[@karasira2696]

Daamn, J'allais dire la même chose!

[@ghostderazgriz]

@@karasira2696 trop tard

[@photelegy]

Exactly what I thought 😂

[@user-cd4bx6uq1y]

77

[@arun279]

LiDAR is not the only solution to self-driving. It has a lot of advantages, but also just as many disadvantages. The sensors are very expensive. Resolving the detailed features of objects in front of it is not very precise from off-the-shelf low-res hardware which a lot of these cars are equipped with. Plus, the current transportation infrastructure is created for visual perception, because it's driven by people who use visual perception to navigate vehicles; there is something to be said for a solution that uses visual data to navigate over LiDAR.

[@sirpentplayz8732]

What if someone dies in a self driving car... Kid: GRANDMA IS HERE!!!!!

[@joshuakelly1846]

SirpentPlayz. Oh dear god

[@ramonabdiel10]

This channel is literally my 3AM thoughts

[@kavilwagh]

Wow