[aerovistae]

Your thoughts seem based on incorrect information.

A. Musk has stated self-driving cars would be essentially finished by this summer, and only the laws and policies are lagging behind and keeping it from being fully released.

B. "How much more they could have been"? They're expanding at a ridiculous pace and are on-track to release a main-stream affordable car within a few years, something the established automakers have evidently been unable to do at all despite all their resources and established infrastructure.

C. "A better car"? What exactly are you comparing it to? Objectively the Model S has gotten the highest scores ever on nearly every single survey it's been part of. If you have a personal quibble with it, don't make out like that's the car's fault. If you're not happy with it "merely" being the best car on the market, I really don't know what you're looking for.

[mikeash]

Regarding A, are you sure about that? Autopilot is supposed to be essentially finished by this summer, but it's not even close to full self-driving capabilities. The Model S currently doesn't have the necessary sensor suite for full self-driving, and the software side is still deeply unsolved.

[aerovistae]

You're correct, my mistake. He said a few years. I misrecalled, so to speak.

[mikeash]

Confusion about what autopilot can actually do is pretty widespread, and autopilot is announced for the summer, so it's an understandable mixup.

Even a few years would be pretty cool. I hope he's right!