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If the messages delivered through marketing channels are different to the ones delivered with a physical product, then that is a problem. Visit https://www.tes

If the messages delivered through marketing channels are different to the ones delivered with a physical product, then that is a problem. Visit https://www.tesla.com/autopilot https://www.tesla.com/autopilot and see for yourself how the message changes within a single page. Yes: "All new Tesla cars come standard with advanced hardware capable of providing Autopilot features today..." No: "...and full self-driving capabilities in the future—through software updates designed to improve functionality over time." Yes: "The person in the driver's seat is only there for legal reasons. He is not doing anything. The car is driving itself." Yes: Video showing self driving car on real roads with no hands on wheel or feet on pedals. No "Autopilot advanced safety and convenience features are designed to assist you with the most burdensome parts of driving." Yes: "The system is designed to be able to conduct short and long distance trips with no action required by the person in the driver’s seat." Yes: "All you will need to do is get in and tell your car where to go." No: "The future use of these features without supervision is dependent on achieving reliability far in excess of human drivers as demonstrated by billions of miles of experience, as well as regulatory approval, which may take longer in some jurisdictions." This is not what I would describe as clear. It's a contrived dance around the truth, designed to help you arrive at a conclusion without ever quite saying it outright - a deliberate marketing strategy. To be honest, combining this with the use of Autopilot with a capital A, we're not that far off subliminal messaging at this point. A more honest marketing message would improve safety.

Erlich_Bachman 6y ago
> Yes: "All new Tesla cars come standard with advanced hardware capable of providing Autopilot features today..." > No: "...and full self-driving capabilities in the future—through software updates designed to improve functionality over time." "Autopilot" is not the same thing as full self-driving. What don't you understand? Those statements make perfect sense. > Yes: "All you will need to do is get in and tell your car where to go." "WILL NEED". What is not clear? "Will" implies future tense.
- Animats 6y ago
  The future is now. Tesla has been making that claim since, what, 2016?
- tweetle_beetle 6y ago
  My point was that the page as a whole is not clear, but even the sample you have selected is problematic. "will need" also implies certainty. This feature may never be available within the lifetime of the product being sold today, or indeed the lifetime of the customer or the company. This is misleading. Tesla is making unverifiable claims about the future of a product which is on sale now. It is a fact of the digital distribution age that traditional marketing doesn't fit the model of products which can change post-purchase. They are certainly not alone in this, with some very famous cases like No Man's Sky launching with less features than advertised or iPhone performance degrading after an iOS update. However, this is a machine which can kill people, not a computer game missing content. Let's err on the side of caution with the marketing and not allow companies to talk about what their products can't do.

Erlich_Bachman 6y ago

> Yes: "All new Tesla cars come standard with advanced hardware capable of providing Autopilot features today..." > No: "...and full self-driving capabilities in the future—through software updates designed to improve functionality over time." "Autopilot" is not the same thing as full self-driving. What don't you understand? Those statements make perfect sense. > Yes: "All you will need to do is get in and tell your car where to go." "WILL NEED". What is not clear? "Will" implies future tense.

Animats 6y ago
The future is now. Tesla has been making that claim since, what, 2016?
tweetle_beetle 6y ago
My point was that the page as a whole is not clear, but even the sample you have selected is problematic. "will need" also implies certainty. This feature may never be available within the lifetime of the product being sold today, or indeed the lifetime of the customer or the company. This is misleading. Tesla is making unverifiable claims about the future of a product which is on sale now. It is a fact of the digital distribution age that traditional marketing doesn't fit the model of products which can change post-purchase. They are certainly not alone in this, with some very famous cases like No Man's Sky launching with less features than advertised or iPhone performance degrading after an iOS update. However, this is a machine which can kill people, not a computer game missing content. Let's err on the side of caution with the marketing and not allow companies to talk about what their products can't do.