Tesla’s full-self-driving (conclusion)

On several occasions following my blog on that subject (April 2) I experimented with the self-driving Tesla feature with various levels of success. In simple driving conditions the system was simply amazing, but as traffic became more complicated it was showing its current limitations, especially on itineraries I was highly familiar with and had idiosyncrasies of their own. 

At times, it felt like another human was driving. On the freeway, the blinkers self-activated themselves and the car was changing lane based on the speed of the car ahead of me or when one was tailgating me, or when it was just time to change lane, sometimes (not always) like I would have done it. 

I also thought it was mentally taxing to pay attention to what the car was doing, and also to keep some pressure on the steering wheel (as asked by the system) but not so much that the software would think I was trying to take control. Clearly, the system isn’t perfect yet and one must remain vigilant at all times, which in a way defeats its purpose. 

Further, the car wasn’t always good at maintaining consistent speeds. The throttle tends to stick to the set speed as one tries to go faster. Another case in point is that it doesn't pull over and stop the car for emergency vehicles on two lane highways. There’s also snow and rain that interfere with the good running of things as precipitations are messing with the sensors, requiring some more improvements. 

Yet, I must recognize that the system, as it exists now, may already be much safer than many human drivers sharing the road with us today! Bottom line, normal driving isn't that hard. In reading others’ reviews, one caught my attention; it said: “Currently, Tesla’s self-driving is like buying a calculator and checking with a pen and paper if the results are right...” 

Also, the system remains pricey even after it was brought down to $8,000 or $99 a month, I still will pass for the time being. Autosteer (the feature that upgrades cruise control and steers the wheel automatically) is good enough for me on the freeway. 

That said, I was quite impressed by what I experienced and believed that perfection might not be too faraway. Hopefully, when I turn 80 or 85, at least, I hope so!