| disclaimer, own a TM3 with full autopilot and purchased full self driving. I have never believed they will deliver much more than level 3. I did buy the FSD package recently when it was discounted mostly for resale value; it was 2k; and not faith in the technology. Too many companies want to label it a safety feature yet for the most part it doesn't operate like most safety features. almost all demos we see are fair weather events on simple roads or in some cases systems which can operate on specific roads. so I think they focus too much of the navigation part. I am more interested in full self driving technology if it leads to more passive safety features like the forward emergency braking. as in an always on system which watches "over your back". that to me is the real value of all this research. (personal usage stuff is below) now don't get me wrong, Tesla's system is amazing for what it does do. It certainly isn't full self driving but it offers many of the features people could use to augment their driving. I used it for the majority of a six hundred mile drive both directions. It was useful in rush hour traffic, the stop and go variety, as well as the long haul. two reasons I found it valuable. first being on long drives I engage it but still maintain the presence of mind to take over when I need to. In this mode I am using it to handle situations when I am distracted. The old issue of looking in your rear view mirror and seeing a bridge you went under but don't remember. I also used it on a typical mid Western two lane road at night in the pouring rain. It helped alleviate fears caused by the constant issue of people with poorly aimed lights or not dimming high beams. The car never lost track of the lanes whereas a few times I was having to hard focus on the white line to avoid being blinded by one of those hibeam drivers. |