One of the problems with LIDAR and other mounted sensors is that they can easily get covered in snow, affecting their ability to “see.” LIDAR also gets confused when its lasers get absorbed by snowflakes and water droplets, said Huei Peng, the director of Mcity in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a simulated urban environment for testing autonomous vehicles. “The snow presents challenges you will never experience in sunny California,” he said.
Maybe it is because I rarely drive that I see it as a less... not sure what the word is... natural thing to do. Driving is hard! It is not like programming a robot forklift to stock shelves.