[wyclif]

I'm in the Philippines now, and that's how I know this is the correct take. Especially this part:

"Driving data is cultural data."

The optimists underestimate a lot of things about self-driving cars.

The biggest one may be that in developing and global south regions, civil engineering, design, and planning are far, far away from being up to snuff to a level where Level 5 is even a slim possibility. Here on the island I'm on, the roads, storm water drainage (if it exists at all) and quality of the built environment in general is very poor.

Also, a lot of otherwise smart people think that the increment between Level 4 and Level 5 is the same as that between all six levels, when the jump from Level 4 to Level 5 automation is the biggest one and the hardest to successfully accomplish.

[intended]

Level 5 is a pipe dream. Or if I’m being charitable it’s un-ambitious.

The goal for a working L5 should be “if piloting a rickshaw, will it be able to operate as a human owner in normal traffic.”