[torginus]

End users don't care about the tech details as long as it works - and it does, so Tesla might start sweating about Waymo eating their lunches. Maybe they'll also move towards the mapping approach, which would mean they'd have to have maps constantly updated. That'd mean recurring costs for them.

Besides, I'm pretty sure some degree of mapping is necessary - I know some seriously wonky roads with poor visibility, tons of shoulder lanes, roundabouts, and stop-and-go traffic, where I need to know which lane to get in half a kilometer before the turn comes up.

Most people can't figure it out at the first glance - I usually see a couple trying and failing every day.