Lidar, radar, cameras: The sensors making self-driving cars possible

To a certain extent and under certain conditions, the driver can stop focusing on traffic when the Drive Pilot is active. — Photo: Daimler AG/dpa

STUTTGART/KARLSRUHE: The steering wheel moves as if by magic. Seemingly on its own, the car follows the vehicle in front, maintaining the correct distance.

But at work is neither Harry Potter nor any other kind of magic, but rather a series of driver assistance systems. These systems rely on sensors that meticulously measure the vehicle’s surroundings.