I think of it in terms of I am still piloting the vehicle, but FSD is executing the maneuvers. This means that I am able to focus on the bigger picture (looking further forward, paying attention to what is going on in all lanes, etc).
I am a MUCH safer driver with autopilot/FSD than without.
So, to your devil's advocate, I am sure I would blame myself if my family member died while driving my car no matter what the car was. But FSD in my car has prevented accidents for me and my family.
Edited to add:
I don't want to pretend it is without risks. My biggest fear with FSD/autopilot is that it requires a constant understanding of who is in control. And that is the thing I stress to my friends/family. Your #1 job, and the thing that can kill you, is thinking that autopilot is engaged when it isn't and running a red light or driving off the road on an interstate exit.
Tesla gave me a loaner for a couple days while my car was in the shop. The loaner did not have FSD, and there were a couple of times I expected it to stop and it didn't. It was mentally tough b/c it was familiar like my car, but it wasn't my car.
> I am still piloting the vehicle, but FSD is executing the maneuvers.
Look, there are some things I really like about your reply, and I applaud your approach to this.
My question is this: If you are the pilot, how do you communicate with the FSD to have it execute the maneuvers? What is the command interface? What is the level of "manouver" ("drive to the grocery store" vs "angle the front wheels 7 degrees to the left to initiate a left turn")
> "there were a couple of times I expected [the loaner] to stop and it didn't."
So these times, in your car, are circumstances where you expect the car to stop. Did you (as the pilot) tell the car to execute the stopping manouver?
> Your #1 job, and the thing that can kill you, is thinking that autopilot is engaged when it isn't and running a red light "
What if it is engaged and still decides to run a red light? Or to suddenly brake to a full stop on a highway so you get rear-ended?
> What if it is engaged and still decides to run a red light?
The Teslas don't drive particularly aggressively, so you're quite aware ahead of time if it's not slowing down to stop for a red light.
> Or to suddenly brake to a full stop on a highway so you get rear-ended?
This is harder to deal with as, if it happened, it could be very sudden. That being said, if someone rear ends you for stopping, it's their fault (unless you braked in bad faith, like a brake check). Not that it would make you feel much better if you got injured or killed in such an incident.
On the other hand, many manufacturers have automatic emergency braking systems that occasionally incorrectly brake, and humans occasionally incorrectly emergency brake too. I have emergency braked due to a plastic bag blowing across the highway. Tesla on the whole seems to perform well compared to most vehicles AEB systems.
- turn signal to initiate a turn.
- scroll up/down on the right steering wheel control to increase/decrease max speed
- left/right on the right steering wheel control to increase/decrease follow distance
- nudge the gas pedal to be a little more aggressive (starting from a stop sign, executing a turn that FSD has already started signaling, etc
- and sometimes I just take control via brake or stalk. I generally don't disengage with the wheel since that keeps the speed on auto.
As for when the loaner didn't stop, it didn't have FSD. So while it looked like my car, it didn't have the same features as my car (just basic autopilot, not FSD).
I have not had situations where FSD was engaged and failed to stop or brake from highway speeds.
> The loaner did not have FSD, and there were a couple of times I expected it to stop and it didn't. It was mentally tough b/c it was familiar like my car, but it wasn't my car.
You need to meditate on this. Hard. You're more right than even you realize. Your cars behavior will change on you overnight. Your access to charging infra, or even the capacity to access the full capabilities of your vehicle are locked away, and prone to change from day to day. You don't get to opt out. You don't get to say "No, this is fine exactly as is."
What you believe is your car, is by no means your car.
Interesting! Kind of like pair programming, but for driving. Do you think there are any interface cues that could make this style of working with the system more efficient?
I am a MUCH safer driver with autopilot/FSD than without.
So, to your devil's advocate, I am sure I would blame myself if my family member died while driving my car no matter what the car was. But FSD in my car has prevented accidents for me and my family.
Edited to add: I don't want to pretend it is without risks. My biggest fear with FSD/autopilot is that it requires a constant understanding of who is in control. And that is the thing I stress to my friends/family. Your #1 job, and the thing that can kill you, is thinking that autopilot is engaged when it isn't and running a red light or driving off the road on an interstate exit.
Tesla gave me a loaner for a couple days while my car was in the shop. The loaner did not have FSD, and there were a couple of times I expected it to stop and it didn't. It was mentally tough b/c it was familiar like my car, but it wasn't my car.