Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, is one of the main champions of autonomous driving in cars, given its potential benefits for society. He is also very optimistic, and his forecasts have not been fulfilled in this regard, although it could be that this time he was right.
One of the best known driving assistance technologies in the world are those of Tesla, which are divided into several levels. Any current and recent model has the mandatory elements such as autonomous braking or traffic sign recognition. The next step is Autopilot, its active cruise control, designed for highways and motorways.
At a higher level is the Enhanced Autopilot or EAP, which automatically changes lanes, parks itself and comes to pick us up. And on the top step is the FSD system, which recognizes traffic lights, stop signs, solves complex intersections and is practically capable of going from A to B in an urban area. These three systems, AP, EAP and FSD are all SAE Level 2.
In other words, they are not autonomous systems because the driver has to be aware of the car at all times, even if he has taken his hands off the wheel, but he must look at the road. An SAE Level 3 vehicle, such as a Mercedes-Benz with DRIVE PILOT in Germany, or a Honda Legend in Japan, can be partially autonomous under a very strict range of conditions.
Elon Musk has been in Norway today, and has provided his opinion on current issues. The most interesting thing he has said is what has been troubling him lately: “The two technologies that I’m focused on, ideally trying to get ready by the end of the year, is that our Starship [de SpaceX] reaches Earth orbit, and that the Tesla are capable of driving by themselves».
These words may be familiar, because we have heard something similar since 2014 from the mouth of Elon Musk. The video on these lines, although it is a bit biased at the editing level, makes one thing clear, since that year, autonomous driving was very close. Well this time too, total, one more doesn’t matter.
Right now the FSD system only works in the US and Canada in public beta, where some 100,000 volunteers with an excellent record of safe driving already participate. At least in the US, it foresees a massive deployment of the FSD system, making it no longer beta, and potentially in Europe, as long as the green light is obtained from the authorities. At the regulatory level, the FSD system must make some adjustments.
Autonomous Driving Levels Updated in 2018 – Infographic: SAE International
Again we have to qualify Mr. Musk’s responses. What is close at Tesla is not a fully automated driving system, but a higher level of autonomy that demands attention from the driver, either when the car asks for it (Level 3 or higher), or whenever it is operating in semi-autonomous mode. , in case he does not react well to a specific situation.
Missy Cummings, director of the human and autonomy laboratory at Duke University, explained two years ago that Actually what Tesla is trying to achieve is a Level 4 autonomous system, and that it is doubtful that it can reach that level. Level 5 – full autonomous capacity, without quotes – is not a reality at the moment, according to multiple experts, although we have come very close.
In any case, the current UN-ECE regulations regarding autonomous systems only allow Level 3 to drive up to 60 km/h, and the driver can start doing anything – except using a mobile phone, which would be punishable – while the vehicle is moves within congested traffic. Tesla could not go beyond that regulation, until there is a more evolved one if the technique continues to advance.
Tesla detractors will say that there is nothing new, every year Musk says the same thing with some variants. In a few days those who have not paid for the FSD system will have a price increase, from $12,000 to $15,000, to activate it. Almost all the cars left the factory with everything necessary for it. Perhaps these statements have not been innocent, precisely.
By the way, Elon Musk weighed in on energy issues. In short, fossil fuels are necessary in the short term to prevent the collapse of civilization, and nuclear power plants should not be dispensed with if they are not causing problems right now. Even more oil and gas exploration is needed.
Elon Musk is one of the main proponents of renewable energy and defends it vehemently. Tesla also has energy storage solutions, both residential and industrial, associated or not with photovoltaic solar panels. Another thing is that he is a cynic and does not admit reality, right now it is difficult to live only with renewables, except in very specific countries like Costa Rica.