[sitharus]

You’re correct, an airline autopilot can do all that under _continual pilot supervision_. The autopilot also cannot communicate with ATC so pilots will adjust the flight path in flight to account for ATC instructions and changing weather. It’s not hands-off.

[ssambros]

It is "hands off", it is not "situational awareness off". And airplane autopilots do not require split-second interventions if something goes wrong, the buffer is usually in a couple of seconds range. Even then trained pilots sometimes fail to correctly take over the flying duties (see Air France Flight 447).

Tesla is claiming that if the drivers hands are not on the wheel then they are not responsible what what their "autopilot" does.