How do self-driving cars actually “see” the road?

[jhope98]

I’ve heard of things like lidar and cameras, but how do they know when it’s a stop sign versus a trash can? Feels like magic to me.

 

[redvelvetjoy]

Self-driving cars use a mix of lidar, cameras, and sensors to create a detailed map of their surroundings. Lidar helps measure distances with lasers, while cameras recognize objects like stop signs using advanced AI trained on tons of data. The AI learns to differentiate a stop sign from a trash can by spotting details like shape, size, and even reflective paint. It’s like giving the car a super-intelligent pair of eyes and a brain to process what it 'sees'—definitely feels like magic!