Waymo CEO says camera-only self-driving systems can’t support fully autonomous driving systems, and after testing multiple robotaxis, I have to agree

Waymo co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov laid out reasons why Lidar and radar are required

by · TechRadar

News By Leon Poultney Published 6 August 2026

(Image credit: Waymo)

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  • Camera-only systems can only “approximately match” a human driver
  • Multi-sensing setup offers more than just a failsafe
  • Waymo co-CEO backs the use of Lidar and radar over camera-only systems

Waymo co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov has spoken out about the technology required to run a fully autonomous robotaxi service, addressing the subject of camera-only systems.

While he didn’t mention Tesla directly in his in-depth talk at Y Combinator’s Startup School, the presentation directly addressed vision-only camera setups, like those Elon Musk and Tesla have been pursuing.

“Humans, of course, can drive with just eyes, so there’s that proof of existence,” he said, according to Electrek.

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“If the goal were to just approximately match human performance or to build an assist product, that’s a very reasonable way to go.”

But “weak sensing” inevitably leads to a safety curve that flattens out “way too early,” he added, highlighting the many cases where a camera system can come unstuck.

Low light or poor visibility, dust storms and objects physically blocking the lens can bring a camera-based system to a grinding halt in seconds.

Dolgov then gave an example of how Waymo’s combination of Lidar, radar and high-definition cameras allowed one stricken vehicle to safely navigate itself back to a depot when a tree branch became caught in its wipers and obscured the camera lens.

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