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Open Source Self-Driving with Comma AI episode artwork

Apr 16, 2026 46 min

Open Source Self-Driving with Comma AI

from Practical AI Hosted by Daniel Whitenack and Chris Benson

Autonomous driving is not just a big tech or closed-source game, it's becoming accessible through open innovation and real-world deployment. Dan and Chris sit down with Harald Schäfer, CTO at Comma AI, to explore how OpenPilot is bringing self-driving to everyday vehicles using open source AI. We dive into the intersection of machine learning, robotics, and simulation, including how world models are enabling training at scale and shaping the future of autonomy. Featuring: Harald Schäfer – LinkedIn Chris Benson – Website, LinkedIn, Bluesky, GitHub, X Daniel Whitenack – Website, GitHub, X Links: Comma Upcoming Events: Register for upcoming webinars here!

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Open Source Self-Driving with Comma AI

0:00 46:04

Chapters

  1. 0:00 Welcome to Practical AI!
  2. 0:41 Introducing the Guest
  3. 1:46 Background on Comma AI and OpenPilot
  4. 3:03 Evolution of Self-Driving Technology
  5. 5:51 Attraction to Self-Driving as a Robotics Problem
  6. 7:37 Understanding the Architecture of Autonomous Systems
  7. 12:09 Targeting Autonomy in Existing Vehicles
  8. 14:52 Incremental Progress in Robotics and AI
  9. 16:03 End-to-End Learning in Autonomous Driving
  10. 17:49 Current Trajectory and Future Vision
  11. 19:57 World Models and Simulation in Training
  12. 24:10 Understanding the Training Stack
  13. 28:03 Advancements in Hardware and Edge Computing
  14. 29:41 User Experience with Comma's Technology
  15. 31:24 Exploring Alternative Use Cases for Autonomy
  16. 34:09 Challenges in Robotics and Machine Learning
  17. 36:45 The Decision to Open Source OpenPilot
  18. 39:33 Programming Languages and Their Roles
  19. 44:01 Future Aspirations for Robotics and Autonomy
  20. 45:24 Outro

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This episode was published on April 16, 2026.

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