Looks like the relationship between business partners MobilEye and Tesla just… crashed.
MobilEye, the Israeli company that has supplied Tesla with the technology used in self-driving vehicles, has decided to no longer make those services available. The Tesla vehicle crash must be weighing heavily upon those involved, even if involved in the slightest.
The MobilEye EyeQ3 stationed in the Autopilot vehicle software that recently crashed and killed the driver was provided by MobilEye.
Chief technical officer of MobilEye Amnon Shashua, apparently appalled at Tesla’s use of the camera for its Autopilot vehicle functions, stated that MobilEye will not be continuing its relationship with Tesla Motors. MobilEye EyeQ3 was used in Autopilot vehicles for acceleration, braking, and steering.
Surely MobilEye does not want to be associated with the disaster crash involving Joshua Brown. The National Transportation Safety Board may have helped along this panic, as it stated recently that Autopilot seems to have been enabled when the accident occurred.
It looks quite bad for MobilEye that the Autopilot software could not aid the vehicle in detecting a cargo trailer crossing the highway.
By striking contrast, Elon Musk does not outwardly express overwhelming concern for the incident, nor for MobilEye’s parting. Musk recently stated, “Certainly we’re going to do full autonomy of our cars. They’ll go their path and we’ll go ours. Us parting ways was somewhat inevitable. So there was nothing surprising from our standpoint.”
MobilEye will continue to provide materials for Tesla Model S and Model X despite wanting to escape the negative association with Autopilot software.
Shashua stated, “EyeQ3 shipments will continue for the near future, and maybe for the longer future.”
What is Tesla’s next move regarding Autopilot software? There does not seem to be an answer, except for taking upon the challenge of developing its own software.
