Item — HN Reader

This is the genius or fallacy of Tesla's marketing, depending on how you look at it. There IS a standard from the SAE for describing autonomous driving that everyone else uses.

By that standard, FSD is still at Level 2 out of 5. (But probably approaching level 3 in the next few years.)

FSD as Tesla markets it (above the asterisk of course) would be level 5 autonomy where the car can complete a trip to any destination completely independent of any driver intervention. The current tech is not that.

The best autonomy I've seen is from other players like GM's Cruise were the car can complete trips without having a driver on hand to intervene... but only in certain controlled areas / conditions.

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> The best autonomy I've seen is from other players like GM's Cruise were the car can complete trips without having a driver on hand to intervene... but only in certain controlled areas / conditions.

Wouldn't this be the case with Tesla's FSD? I make trips that are fully driven by FSD (I'm using it again this month, but I had a 3 month trial when I bought the car), would you consider routinely successful operation within non-prescribed boundaries a "certain area"?

I guess the disconnect between the critics and fans (I am one) is over the marketing; my understanding of "Tesla Full Self Driving" is not level 5 autonomy, it's "can drive better than my teenager most of the time".

I (think I) understand the catastrophic downside risk of computer operated machinery in an uncontrolled environment, but my experience has been very positive. I think I understand the feature for what it is, an amazing and useful if imperfect tool, regardless of what it's called.

(caveat: FSD is the only automated driving I've experienced)