Understanding 'Full Self-Driving' in the Context of Autonomous Vehicles

Introduction: Tesla's usage of the term 'Full Self-Driving' (FSD) has raised many questions among the public. This article aims to explain the concept, differentiate it from industry standards, and explore the legal and technological implications surrounding this advertising term.

The Tesla 'Full Self-Driving'

Self-Driving as Defined by Tesla: Tesla's 'Full Self-Driving' (FSD), like any term, means what Tesla defines it to mean. In their terminology, FSD represents a goal or an advanced form of driver assistance that is yet to be fully realized. Tesla's system currently operates at a level that can significantly reduce the need for manual intervention on highways but falls short of the highest autonomy levels.

Functionality: According to Elon Musk, Tesla's current FSD works 85% of the time on highways and provides about 40% of the functionality on stop signs and stop lights. This system can still prevent incidents according to Musk's claims, although drivers should remain vigilant.

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Autonomy Levels

Describing Full Self-Driving with SAE Standards: In contrast to Tesla's interpretation, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has defined five levels of vehicle automation. SAE Level 0 indicates no automation and is what we currently have. SAE Level I includes advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) such as adaptive cruise control, which partially automate the vehicle's speed but require continued driver attention. SAE Level V, the level Tesla aims for with FSD, means that the vehicle operates completely autonomously without any need for human input.

Current Status: While there are prototypes and research vehicles at SAE Level V, no commercially available vehicle has achieved this level. Regulatory frameworks and legal considerations, as we will discuss later, are some of the barriers preventing the widespread deployment of Level V vehicles in everyday use.

The Legal and Technological Challenges

Legal Issues: Once again, Amy notes that there is no legal framework governing the use of Level V vehicles, which would handle all driving tasks without human input. The interaction between Level V autonomous vehicles (AVs) and non-AV vehicles, as well as legal responsibilities in the event of a crash, are critical issues that need resolution through legislation.

Technological Challenges: The hardware necessary for achieving Level 5 autonomy, such as the requisite sensors and computing power, is already available. However, the software still faces significant development challenges before achieving this level of autonomy. This is often referred to as 'feature complete', meaning all hardware components are available, but the software required for full autonomy has not yet been developed.

Case Study: Tesla's Feature Complete Hardware

Feature Complete Hardware: Drivers often become excited by the term 'feature complete' in the context of FSD. This term refers to the setup where all essential hardware components are present within the vehicle, such as cameras, radars, and GPS. However, this begs the question: without the software to interpret the data collected from these sensors, what is the vehicle's level of autonomy? At this point, it is merely a vehicle that can perform certain tasks with advanced driver assistance but falls short of full autonomy.

Conclusion

The term 'Full Self-Driving' is a term that has evolved, depending on the entity defining it. Tesla's current FSD system is a form of advanced driver assistance, not a true level-five autonomous vehicle. The industry standard of SAE Level 0 to Level V helps us understand the varying degrees of automation but does not eradicate the hype that surrounds claims of full self-driving.

Legal and technological hurdles still stand in the way of true Level V autonomy. For now, Tesla's system and similar systems from other manufacturers aim to reduce human intervention to the minimum, but substantial work remains to be done before we see truly autonomous driving in everyday use.