# Self driving cars are still decades away **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 10, 2017, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499 "2017-10-10T17:38:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 87
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1728 "2024-03-28T15:28:46Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > I drove a stick for a long time, and I liked the increased engagement it brought to driving, but at some point no amount of being a driver’s car is going to make a rush hour commute more fun. For those types of things decreasing annoyance is more important than increasing fun, and driver aids help with that. I have motorcycles for my super engaged runs, and a Tesla for the mundane. And it makes the mundane much more comfortable, easy to navigate, and entertaining. The navigation app is top notch. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2024, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1729 "2024-03-29T20:34:42Z")
I got the update! Software v2024.3.6 which includes FSD v12.3.2.1 Since I have TeslaVision (new cars don’t have the ultrasonic sensors), I still don’t have the automatic parallel parking which is makes me sad but I can’t wait to try out the new regular software. It’s supposed to be a 20 minute download but I bet it takes longer. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2024, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1730 "2024-03-29T22:22:56Z")
It took 50 minutes but that’s ok. It turns out that I do have autopark. TeslaVision Fuck Yeah! If you’re in a parking lot and driving slowly, you can pick a parking spot and it _backs_ in. I tried out parallel parking in my neighborhood once and it’s perfect. The street driving, especially when you make turns in a residential area is significatnly smoother. I may be mistaken but when driving into a shopping center, the old version stopped at the entrance and you had to take over. I only tried to do that twice and it may have been an error on my end. Now it slowly navigates the parking lot and gets you to your store. This was the first time in my life that I drove just to drive. I love this car. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1731 "2024-03-30T00:13:14Z")
Nice! You’re on a version a step past mine, if it makes you feel better about not getting FSD 12 right away 🙂 . I don’t have the big autopark upgrade yet. It’ll be awesome when they can integrate all this stuff together. I did have it park automatically that one time, but it needs to know that it’s in a parking lot, pick an appropriate spot, and then park in it. Ideally, with an option to stay one slot away from anyone else… ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1732 "2024-03-30T00:18:44Z")
You do choose a spot. If you drive slowly in a parking lot the screen changes and you stop completely and pick an open spot. Then it takes over. I doubt it would work in a dirt lot with cars parked as if they are in a regular parking lot. In a little bit I will be driving in the rain through traffic for about an hour. It will be a good test. Also for the auto wipers. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1733 "2024-03-30T00:22:34Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Also for the auto wipers. Auto wipe mode seems to be worthless. Comes on at random dry times. When it is really raining, only occasionally. Light rain and it will go full blast for a bit. I always disable but then it comes back on later. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1734 "2024-03-30T00:27:53Z")
Wow. I have a 2010 Lexus, and the auto wipers work quite reliably. Occasionally they don’t come on right away, but they never come on when it’s dry. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1735 "2024-03-30T00:30:28Z")
Mine have never come on when it’s dry. I wonder why there’s such a difference in performance (between Model 3/Ys, that is). ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1736 "2024-03-30T00:37:19Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Wow. I have a 2010 Lexus, and the auto wipers work quite reliably. Occasionally they don’t come on right away, but they never come on when it’s dry. Your car has an actual rain sensor. Teslas use the camera. > [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > Mine have never come on when it’s dry. I wonder why there’s such a difference in performance (between Model 3/Ys, that is). I’ve read a lot of Tesla forums/reddits about this and some people have great performance, but it seems most complain. Here is an article that talks about the issue: > **[Why Are Tesla’s Automatic Wipers Such Garbage? InsideEVs Investigates.](https://insideevs.com/features/706288/tesla-auto-wiper-problem-musk/)** > > Tesla's Auto wipers haven't worked right for years. Owners aren't happy about it. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1737 "2024-03-30T00:40:59Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > most complain I’m never quite sure what to make of this. There are certainly a lot of vocal people. But I dunno if you can conclude that “most” have problems. My old BMW had a dedicated rain sensor as well, but it was flakier than the Tesla. Never started on its own (had to pulse it once to get started), and the intermittency adjustment wasn’t great. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1738 "2024-03-30T00:55:11Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > Your car has an actual rain sensor. Teslas use the camera. Is this part of the “do everything with cameras” ethos? Does it really make sense with something like rain sensing, where the standard tech is mature? Does it save Tesla a lot of money? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1739 "2024-03-30T00:59:01Z")
Probably saves $10 or so. The cameras and the computers are already there. Why waste money on a dedicated sensor when you can do it with existing equipment? The only real mystery is why it isn’t reliable. Must be a trickier problem than it sounds like at first. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1740 "2024-03-30T00:59:59Z")
Sounds familiar. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1741 "2024-03-30T01:07:26Z")
This one really does seem easy, though 🙂 . We’re long past the point where this xkcd made any sense: [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/tasks.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/tasks.png) Computers are quite good at this sort of “is this a picture of an X?” these days. Better than humans, mostly. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1742 "2024-03-30T01:14:52Z")
Link is broke. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1743 "2024-03-30T01:17:12Z")
Weird. Some anti-linking policy from xkcd? This should work, though: [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/aaoT4p8.png "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/aaoT4p8) ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1744 "2024-03-30T01:31:58Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > I’m never quite sure what to make of this. There are certainly a lot of vocal people. Ha, true. Most on the Tesla forum and reddit seem to have issues. I guess the people that don’t, aren’t checking in. I’m curious how @hajario feels about since they got a MY slightly after me. Not sure where they live, but we are in rain season now so I’ve had frequent experience with the “auto” wipers. I would’ve sprung for the extra $10 dedicated sensor… ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1745 "2024-03-30T02:08:49Z")
Well I’m at my destination and the wipers worked very well much to my pleasant surprise. It was sprinkling and. I left and I had to manually wipe every few seconds. On the freeway it was moderately raining and they worked perfectly. When the rain stopped it still did an occasional unnecessary wipe. It drove very well in the rain despite the warning that performance would be degraded. It wouldn’t let me set the max speed above the speed limit and kept to the far right lane. Then the rain stopped and it was back to normal. Then I got to the parking lot and it parked for me. It’s like magic. I would normally be frazzled after that drive. It was so easy ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1746 "2024-03-30T02:12:59Z")
That’s been my main complaint about any of its smart driving: The cameras are scaredy cats and want to slow down. Even going around corners on 2-lane highways. Is there a way to tell it to be daring? I can see way better than the cameras in that minor fog…stop slowing down! Of course, that’s when I just take over. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499/1747 "2024-03-30T03:32:15Z")
Do you have it on “Assertive” mode? I keep meaning to enable that mode but I forget. Default is “Average”. I’m not sure that it actually makes a difference, though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499.md?page=86) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-driving-cars-are-still-decades-away/798499.md?page=88)