Elon Musk does not only want SpaceX to be the first to carry humans to Mars. The famous billionaire is also keen on making Tesla Motors the first automaker to create fully autonomous cars. His recent announcement at the Tesla event may not be as surprising.
Apparently, all Tesla vehicles built in their factory will be equipped with hardware that enables full self-driving capability. This will eventually lead to Tesla cars that will provide Level 5 autonomy.
For now, the new Model S and Model X will be running its Autopilot system in shadow mode, according to Teslarati. This seems to be putting the best foot forward for Tesla. The said mode does not pose the same safety risk as the said driving assistance system.
Autopilot In Shadow Mode
Tesla cars running Autopilot in shadow mode is only temporary. It is not there to replace Musk's vision of self-driving and full autonomy. It's actually doing Tesla a significant service. But don't expect it to provide driving assistance.
It will be collecting driving data. Teslarati explained that the shadow mode allows Autopilot vehicles to log instances when Autopilot has to take action. The data will be compared to the actions of actual human drivers.
The collected data can be vital in improving and furthering its advancement of self-driving and fully autonomous cars.
Automakers Should Stop Using The Misleading Terms Self-Driving And Autopilot
Tesla will definitely be able to fully realize the vision of Musk. However, the path to achieving that is not going to be done very soon. According to Inside EVs, the actual activation of the Autopilot happened a year after the first version of the hardware was delivered in production cars.
It should also be remembered that Germany has not treated Tesla kindly. It has taken a number of well-deserved measures regarding the automaker's Autopilot system. Teslarati further reports that the California DMV has proposed regulations against the use of "self-driving" and "autopilot" terms by automakers.
Musk's vision is not just a walk in the park. Whatever system Tesla will use in its self-driving and full autonomy realization, the safety of its customers should be ensured. The running Autopilot in shadow mode and its data will be a step towards that goal.
