Mach-E ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems) Teardown by Sandy Munro

[ericNdfw]

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[breeves002]

I want to see the teardown of the IPMA and comparison to Tesla's fancy expensive computer.

 

[EELinneman]

Munro could sell those precious modules with chips back to Ford and make some coin right now!

 

[J Duce]

For the experienced members here. One of the advantages they mentioned about camera system versus Ford's radar system is recognizing objects such as trees, signs, etc. If Ford is not using some sort of camera sensor system, how are they able to recognize speed limits? GPS only? I ask because in driving in certain areas, i noticed my speed limit notifications changed just as I pass the sign. However, where the sign was obscured, my speed limit notification did not. Any explanation for this? Thanks

 

[ZuleMME]

The Ford system uses a very limited camera system that can only process so much information. It does use a AI trained model to read signs. But it can't hope to one day process everything like Tesla hopes their system will. Difference in compute power available to run the tensorflow (etc etc) model.

 

[Raymondjram]

Cameras offers only a two dimension view, so it needs a computer to compare two or more images and calculate the third dimension, such as what human brains do with our eyes. Radar can detect that third dimension and, using a simpler computer*, can navigate quicker in all three dimensions. This is how many animals use sonar to navigate better than humans. Even aircraft Autopilot systems use radar instead of cameras. Modern spacecraft use radar, too, with a camera and an optical target just to confirm.

* Vector computers which use analog inputs and calculations, work with radar systems and can navigate with no cameras or even digital inputs.

 

[Jimrpa]

They breezed over the fact that Ford IS using the camera as well as the radar. That’s how they do things like sign recognition, lane detection and so on ?

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

This is a fake video! There isn't a single reference to snaps! Fake I tell you!

 

[Rabidsquirrel22]

Cameras offers only a two dimension view, so it needs a computer to compare two or more images and calculate the third dimension, such as what human brains do with our eyes. Radar can detect that third dimension and, using a simpler computer*, can navigate quicker in all three dimensions. This is how many animals use sonar to navigate better than humans. Even aircraft Autopilot systems use radar instead of cameras. Modern spacecraft use radar, too, with a camera and an optical target just to confirm.

* Vector computers which use analog inputs and calculations, work with radar systems and can navigate with no cameras or even digital inputs.

Thats a good explanation of the benefits of radar. Based on the YouTube comments on that video, you'd think there were absolutely none and Tesla's camera system was just soooo much better in every way.

 

[Tyldum]

For the experienced members here. One of the advantages they mentioned about camera system versus Ford's radar system is recognizing objects such as trees, signs, etc. If Ford is not using some sort of camera sensor system, how are they able to recognize speed limits? GPS only? I ask because in driving in certain areas, i noticed my speed limit notifications changed just as I pass the sign. However, where the sign was obscured, my speed limit notification did not. Any explanation for this? Thanks

Seems to use both map data and cameras. Temporary speed limits are picked up around here, and I know they are not being fed digitally.

And likewise, a fully obscured sign on a road I know well, but the car adjusted speed just fine.

 

[Timelessblur]

The Ford system uses a very limited camera system that can only process so much information. It does use a AI trained model to read signs. But it can't hope to one day process everything like Tesla hopes their system will. Difference in compute power available to run the tensorflow (etc etc) model.

They are 100% wrong. Ford is using both system at the same time. The ford ward camara picks up speed limits signs and reads them in real time. It is only annoying when it reads the wrong sign so it either thinks the speed limit is way to high or way to low. I have a few around my house it miss reads all the the time.

 

[noway]

I think there is a lot of shit in that video.. it is just plain wrong.

The front camera is doing a lot more work than it seems. I have not been able to confirm this, but I am pretty sure the adaptive cruise control is using the camera also. It will be terrible at following cars in corners when it cannot see with the camera, but when it can see it will follow cars thorugh corners, even S-corners. When driving with old ACC old it is pretty noticeable when you have to turn the steering wheel always against the car ahead, and it takes ages (a second) for the car to detect that the car in front is in another lane. I have seen on the last two Fords (my 3rd Ford with ACC) it is extremely different than the first, but it only works well when the roads are clear.

The ACC needs camera input to detect stationary objects, otherwise it cannot see the difference between a parked car along the road, a sign placed close to the road, a pastic bag moving in the wind, etc.. The radar is extremely effective of detecting moving objects because of the doppler effect, but it is terrible at stationary objects as it will detect anything. This is why most old ACC systems are limited to 20km/h, it will just filter anything not moving as irrelevant.

I would think the radar mostly is used for speed detection and redundancy. It will keep the car from crashing into other cars if the camera is failing to detect something important for a second. The radar will be able to see that the huge object right in front actually is a problem.. Or that the car in front is suddenly starting to brake hard.


The front camera, at least, does this:
- Lane assist
- Driver monitoring
- Lane centering
- Adaptive lights/high beam control
- Road sign detection (yes it does!, at least in europe)
- Road edge detection
- Wrong way alert
- Crash avoidance (pedestrian crash aviodance is camera only)

According to the manual the side mirror cameras have a central role in the side blind spot crash detection (not the indication, but the crash aviodance). The backup camera is also used for the reversing crash avoidance.

Fun fact about radar and ACC.. I have had a couple of instances where I have been driving on winter roads with lots of snow, especially in Sweden. One time it was full daylight but so much snow being kicked up into the air by car in front that I could not see anything.. including the car in front unless at almost no distance at all. The car in front was moving at typical country road speed. I set the ACC to the longest distance it could do. I could not see anything, but the radar had the car detected at all times, through the snow. From time to time my car would suddenly brake hard and the car in front would just "appear" out of nowhere right after.. that was when there was a car coming in the oposite direction.

 

[imstriker]

But where was Sandy to tell me which way was right and which was wrong. Now I'm just left with my own thoughts....

 

[RobertG]

The Ford system uses a very limited camera system that can only process so much information. It does use a AI trained model to read signs. But it can't hope to one day process everything like Tesla hopes their system will. Difference in compute power available to run the tensorflow (etc etc) model.

The Mach E uses Mobileye's EyeQ4 camera-based ADAS system. This system is designed to enable Level 3 with "Eyes Off" capability.

The Evolution of EyeQ - Mobileye

It has less neural processing capability than Tesla's newest chips, as it is designed to be require less processing capability due to use of detailed GPS maps vs. Tesla not needing these detailed GPS maps.

 

[Excited]

For a system like this to be as good as possible, I would expect it to need both camera (including good software) and radar.

IF Ford is only using front camera, it's probably not enough (even though it has lots of radars), and IF Tesla is only using camera(s), it's definetly not enough when it's the opposite of sunny outside.

Why aren't everyone using most of both? Too expensive?

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