None of these built-in safety systems is design to work without a human driver having the actual responsibility. This is why e.g. ACC is a "comfort" system but not a "safety" system. Even systems like AEB don't come with a guarantee. They just might help.

>None of these built-in safety systems is design to work without a human driver having the actual responsibility

You are exactly right! which is why NEITHER comma.ai, Tesla's Autopilot, Nissan's Propilot, and GM Supercruise are being marketed as such i.e. only as L2/Partial Automation at the moment.

But cars that have any cameras likely already have a front facing one. So if they support only cars that have other cameras it can use (and assuming now that autonomous driving requires camera/or lidar view) why do they even need the camera? Did he drive that civic autonomously without lidars and without it knowing what’s behind it?

First, lidar is not a silver bullet and are still very cost prohibitive. Look at Mobileye and Supercruise which are both pretty good and only use radar, cameras and HD maps.

Second the camera is for the vision system and comma.ai hooks in the car via CANBUS to interpret the OEM radar signals.