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The key of autopilot is not the current state of the software. The key is that they have shipped it and their learning curve will be steeper and product develop
by paulsutter 11y ago
The key of autopilot is not the current state of the software. The key is that they have shipped it and their learning curve will be steeper and product development faster and more user-proven than the competitors.
Google had an enormous technology lead but they've squandered it on a clowncar that remains a concept. They're overthinking the product, how can we ensure people aren't afraid of the technology? Make it cute. Riiight. Funny how they don't mention any pre-orders.
Shipping autopilot was bold and smart. Tesla has a deterministic path forward. Meanwhile Google and the traditional car companies are lost in indecision. And Apple is starting out even further behind. Tesla's autopilot is a wake-up call for all of them.
EDIT: Qworg, they can add a sensor to the cars they ship at any time. They did it in the past and you can be sure they are doing it now. The others still need to figure out how to ship a single car.
- Qworg 11y agoI wouldn't take it as far as you have - releasing Autopilot this early was the right move, but the current sensor mix will limit the applicability of their data gathering until they ship new hardware. I'm not sure GoogleX had to approach self-driving as a product. At least, not until Alphabet.
- mikeash 11y agoShipping autopilot put Tesla more or less on par with various other car manufacturers who are already shipping similar features. Tesla's implementation is the best out there, but it's not substantially different from what you'll find on a high-end Infiniti or Volvo or Mercedes today.