During a conference call with investors, Elon Musk recently announced that all Tesla cars with an autopilot will be able to drive fully autonomously from the beginning of next year. This is what Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, told in a conference call with his Tesla investors. He said that the Full self-driving package, or the 'Fully self-propelled steeringlike Tesla this feature in the Netherlands, will be available early next year.
Although Elon Musk claimed that the car could drive itself from door to door, he explained that people don't understand exactly what this means. Feature complete actually means that the car is most likely able to do this without human intervention, yet it would still drive under supervision.
Autonomous driving has its limits
Often the levels of autonomous driving misunderstood. Most drivers of new cars know the first form and therein people are already getting a taste of the future of autonomous driving. These models already meet the technical requirements for level 1 assistance systems. For example, the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), which not only monitors the previously set speed, but also the selected distance to the vehicle in front.
A second level helps you as a driver to accelerate, steer and brake. This allows you, for example, very comfortable autonomous traffic jams. These systems also help you prevent accidents in critical situations. Remote Park Assist is also part of level 2.
The jump from level 2 to level 3 is technically the biggest. As a driver, you are allowed to do other things for the first time while behind the wheel. The car can independently initiate, accelerate and brake overtaking and dodging maneuvers. The system recognizes its own limits and as a driver you should always be able to take control if necessary.
A far-reaching form of autonomous driving is level 4. On closed test routes, such as highways, the car takes over control from you permanently. Level 4 also includes robo taxis such as the SEDRIC, which operate completely autonomously in defined traffic areas, for example in the city. No driver is needed and passengers can perform other tasks. Or even sleep.
Autonomous cars at level 5 can drive completely independently. Thanks to environmental detection, the constant connection to networks and smart car-to-car communication, no driver is needed - from departure point to final destination.
Indeed, there are many dilemmas. Who is liable? Does autonomous driving really solve traffic jams? Can you do a car completely 'foolproof ' computer programming? These are questions to which no one has an answer yet. Governments are also in the dark. Car manufacturers indicate that they can develop an algorithm that can handle 95% of all traffic situations.
