For years, the CleanTechnica reader group has amazed me. The standard of thought, range of thought, and depth of data is astounding. After I revealed a narrative final night time on Tesla Full Self Driving (FSD) progress, I didn’t actually know what to anticipate. It’s a real gray space that shows super progress in know-how and AI but in addition continues to have obvious flaws and has progressed much more slowly than folks initially bullish on the know-how anticipated (like me). A number of years in the past, I used to be selling Tesla has having the perfect strategy towards creating robotaxis, and I did for years. I’ve been disillusioned with FSD and don’t see it as anyplace near the place I anticipated it to be right now in 2020, however I’m additionally clearly open to and desirous to see it enhance. It lastly did make a notable enchancment (to my eyes) in model 11, however I truly spent many of the article explaining its shortcomings — so, I didn’t understand how readers would reply.
Properly, after a number of feedback, I noticed an ideal lengthy one which I assumed ought to be a standalone article, after which I noticed one other that deserved to be featured, and one other. … The remark thread is filled with nice views, and I gained’t add all of these right here, however I’m going to repost a number of that add a little bit of perspective to my preliminary piece.
From Mark H:
I’m really amazed by all of it.
I’m amazed that our human brains are so profitable at processing what our optic nerves ship it, in order that we will drive as efficiently as we’ve.
I’m amazed {that a} not prepared for prime-time beta software program which might really hurt the driving force and others at any time is safer than the human and his hubris. I definitely couldn’t have imagined this at this early stage of improvement.
I’m amazed that it’s nonetheless that secure after releasing to a non-professional check fleet of over 400,000.
Whether or not it forces folks driving to pay extra consideration, I don’t know and don’t care. I’m merely amazed that it’s. I do know NHTSA is dying to close it down as a consequence of public fears of the pc killing machines. They haven’t to date because of the knowledge.
These of us testing are conscious of the numerous many flaws that are documented so properly. Add to that’s the video era seeking to collect likes by blurring the road between “be careful” and “watch this”. I’m amazed that it’s doing higher than people and our hubris. We’d not be allowed to watch the instruments on the trail to autonomous driving if it weren’t for this. It’s so essential to do not forget that getting us from level a to level b is just one of many targets. And it’s secondary to the first aim summed up by Musk in two phrases, “Don’t crash.” Actually, I’ve to thank a few of my fellow people for not crashing into me from a false slowdown. Whereas I attempt to disengage when folks strategy, I’ve on a handful of event bought caught instantly with somebody tailgating me adopted by a false slowdown.
From ctromley:
What the FSD boosters fail to acknowledge is that any total security enchancment whereas in improvement is totally irrelevant. As a result of the one factor FSD enforces higher than something is intense vigilance over what the automotive is doing. As a result of it retains proving again and again that it will probably do one thing surprising, silly and harmful at any time.
It forces the driver, who’s in the end accountable, to make sure driving extra security. After all security stats can be spectacular.
The nice check will come when FSD is nice sufficient that individuals will begin letting their guard down. THAT is when it must make *zero* errors, as a result of the press may have a discipline day with experiences of some defenseless passenger dropping their life as a result of the autonomous automobile made an surprising, silly and harmful transfer that no human with a functioning mind would ever do.
You realize that day is coming.
From Paul Fosse:
My emotions precisely. This newest beta is an actual enchancment, however I’m nonetheless left with the sensation that it could possibly be 1 12 months or 10 years to complete the software program. Why? As a result of the progress has been so inconsistent. Everyone knows that freeway autopilot/FSD has been glorious and just about unchanged (besides it simply modified to the brand new stack just lately) for about 5 years. Why didn’t Tesla make that fingers free, take legal responsibility for the driving and let folks calm down on lengthy journeys and do different issues? It might simply have to provide us 5 seconds discover when it was getting confused and it wanted consideration. That might have been an enormous step ahead and Tesla may have performed that 4 or 5 years in the past. Then work on the town driving.
From Pitounet:
Individuals will anticipate much more from a robotaxi, simply contemplate what folks anticipate from regular taxis and you’ll understand that Tesla is much off.
After I take a taxi or a Uber I anticipate him to do no error ant alol, anny error will make me extraordinarily uncomfortable and Want I didn’t take a taxi. The overwhelming majority of instances meet my expectation.
As soon as I had a Uber make two errors on me on the second error I requested him to drop me within the spot and I requested Uber my experience to be refunded.
It has occurred to me a number of instances that I wasn’t snug in a taxi as a result of the driving force wouldn’t drive like I would like. Both being too blunt or too sluggish at purple strains, it decreased my consolation and I will surely not take this driver one other time if I had the selection. So not solely does a taxi driver have to make no error, but in addition does he have to drive “usually”, easily sufficient and assertively sufficient.
It’s techno idolatry to anticipate folks to be extra tolerant with robotic automobiles simply because they’re managed by software program. The bar for accepting to be pushed by an AI is far greater than you appear to appreciate.
From Daniel Wilder:
Completely agree with the article. Love my Tesla, no regrets about shopping for FSD in 2019, and like it on the freeway. However utilizing it round city is anxious and it annoys different drivers with it’s non-human-like actions. However I’m having fun with watching it enhance and stay up for each new launch.
From Baird Edmonds:
That is an trustworthy description of my expertise with FSD over the previous 2 1/2 years with my M3LR. Nonetheless many errors in fairly easy situations, actually too many to record right here. I like the automotive and have nice admiration for what Tesla has achieved however FSD is much from prepared for autonomous driving.
From bjrosen:
I’ve had FSD for 4 years, I don’t assume it’s ever going to work. The newest beta remains to be horrible. Tesla painted themselves in a nook by claiming that the {hardware} that was accessible in 2016 was ample to carry out stage 5 self driving and promoting it with the promise that they might get there with simply software program enhancements. If that they had simply bought it as enhanced autopilot and left the FSD claims for the long run when higher sensors turned accessible they might have made extra progress. Cameras have been getting higher, radar has been getting higher, FLIR cameras can be found and LIDAR is getting moderately low-cost. Tesla may have higher cameras and a brand new radar in HW4, and perhaps that can assist, however it will probably’t be retrofitted into the million automobiles that have already got FSD so they’re caught attempting to do the inconceivable which is to make it work in automobiles which have insufficient sensor suites. At what level will they admit that they will’t get there with the {hardware} that they’ve.
That captures just about each helpful perspective I can assume up — and, after all, many I didn’t. However hold the dialog going. There may be absolutely extra to say.
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