Tesla's Driverless Delivery Genius or Grandstanding?

Tesla’s Viral ‘Autonomous’ Car Delivery Video Is Splitting the Internet

Elon Musk and Tesla are no strangers to creating a buzz. On June 27th, the company released a captivating 30-minute video showcasing what they claim is the first-ever fully autonomous delivery of a Tesla vehicle. No driver, no remote control – just pure, unadulterated self-driving, or so it seems.

Musk himself took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce the feat: "The first fully autonomous delivery of a Tesla Model Y from factory to a customer home across town, including highways, was just completed a day ahead of schedule!!"

He doubled down on the claim in a subsequent tweet: "There were no people in the car at all and no remote operators in control at any point. FULLY autonomous! To the best of our knowledge, this is the first fully autonomous drive with no people in the car or remotely operating the car on a public highway."

The video quickly went viral, amassing nearly 15 million views. It depicts a Model Y navigating from Tesla’s Gigafactory in Austin to a customer's home, seemingly effortlessly handling city streets, highway interchanges, and intersections. The car flawlessly executes traffic laws, stopping at signs and yielding at red lights, all without a human at the wheel. The video culminates with a delighted new owner receiving their autonomously delivered vehicle.

But the online reaction has been far from universally celebratory.

‘Magnificent Marketing,’ or Misdirection?

While Tesla enthusiasts lauded the video as a groundbreaking achievement, many online users, particularly on X, expressed skepticism. Concerns and criticisms arose regarding the validity and implications of Tesla's claims.
Some key points of contention include:

• Existing Autonomous Technology: Several users pointed out that Waymo, Google's self-driving car division, has been offering fully autonomous highway services to employees in select cities since earlier this year.
  
• PR Stunt Allegations: Critics suggested the video was a carefully orchestrated PR stunt designed to promote Tesla's robotaxi pilot program, launched just days prior in Austin. This pilot uses a limited number of vehicles with a human "supervisor" present, in stark contrast to the fully driverless operations of Waymo and Cruise.
  
• Autonomous Driving Levels: Some users even consulted X's built-in chatbot, Grok, to determine the vehicle's level of autonomy based on the industry-standard SAE scale. This scale classifies self-driving capabilities from Level 0 (no automation) to Level 5 (fully autonomous in all conditions).
  

The discussion surrounding the video reflects the deep polarization surrounding Tesla, with passionate supporters and staunch skeptics fiercely defending their positions. One user humorously captured this divide, stating, "This one's for the true fans! And for the most determined haters! 😂."

Our Take

Tesla's position as a polarizing force in the tech world is undeniably apparent. While ardent fans see the video as a transformative moment in transportation, critics highlight Musk's history of unfulfilled promises regarding autonomous technology, including delayed robotaxi rollouts dating back to 2019.

It's important to acknowledge that Tesla has indeed made significant strides with its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software. This system leverages cameras, sensors, and neural networks to train vehicles to mimic human driving behavior. However, it remains classified as Level 2 autonomy, meaning it necessitates driver supervision and lacks legal recognition as fully autonomous.

The core issue lies in the potential exaggeration of Musk's claims. Waymo, Cruise, and various Chinese companies have conducted similar demonstrations, and some, like Waymo, already operate driverless vehicles in complex urban environments like downtown San Francisco.

What Tesla has achieved is undoubtedly impressive. However, the question remains whether this is a genuine breakthrough or a meticulously planned marketing maneuver. The true test lies in demonstrating consistent performance.

The critical questions now are: Can Tesla replicate this feat consistently? Can it handle rush hour traffic, adverse weather conditions, and navigate without relying on pre-tested routes?

Until these questions are definitively answered, skepticism surrounding Tesla's autonomous claims is likely to persist. The future of fully autonomous driving is still unfolding, and while Tesla is undoubtedly a key player, the road ahead is paved with both promise and uncertainty.

Tags: Elon Musk, Tesla, Autonomous delivery, Model Y, Self-driving car, Full autonomy, Tech news, Innovation, Automotive, AI

Source: https://gizmodo.com/teslas-viral-autonomous-car-delivery-video-is-splitting-the-internet-2000621778