They’re using lidar not radar, it doesn’t cause cancer, but prolonged exposure can damage your eyes because it’s basically just blasting IR rays 24/7
Comment on Move Fast and Break Nothing | Waymo’s robotaxis are probably safer than ChatGPT.
beemikeoak@lemmynsfw.com 1 day ago
Except for people just walking around getting irradiated at a high enough level to provide feedback for the taxi’s radar. I assume people will start getting cancer… The cancer levels might be funny like 98% on people’s left side or maybe only on people who walk on the sunny or shaded side of busy streets.
I’d give it a few years for the cancers to start showing up.
bobbiguy2122@lemmynsfw.com 18 hours ago
fleck@lemmy.world 8 hours ago
Even radar would not cause cancer. At least not that I know of
silence7@slrpnk.net 23 hours ago
Here’s the thing: wavelengths shorter than visible light cause cancer. Wavelengths longer…don’t. They’re using the long wavelengths.
beemikeoak@lemmynsfw.com 21 hours ago
Not exactly how that works. But go ahead.
Giblet2708@lemmy.sdf.org 21 hours ago
Not exactly how that works.
Got any pointers to references we can read up to learn more?
beemikeoak@lemmynsfw.com 21 hours ago
The Wavelengths used are 0.905microns to 1.55microns, while Class A, they are still lasers.
If you happen to be carrying the right sort of material on your skin for example, the wavelength could halve or quadruple. That would locally irradiate you at UV or microwave.
People looking straight at the sensor could get cataracts or irritated corneas.
Its unnecessary technology exposing everyone around it to new unknowns.
suigenerix@lemmy.world 20 hours ago
The sustained dose from a class 1 lidar is well below critical safety levels. You’re no more likely to get cancer from car lidar than you are from regular use of household LED lights. But sure, let’s just add lidar to the long list of things that people will irrationally scaremonger about.