Wouldn’t it be great if we no longer had to travel behind smoking taxis while in the third world? We’ll have to wait a while for that to change, although back home Tesla has been setting examples. Thus, we were disappointed they missed their target for self-driving electric cars on the road in 2018. However Mr Musk now promises Tesla autonomous robo taxis in the States by 2020.
Will Mr Musk Get His Tesla Autonomous Robo Taxis Right
Mr Musk faces two challenges that might daunt others lacking his apparently bottomless pockets. First, he has to get his technology ducks lined up. And then there’s the ‘small matter’ of convincing the federal, state and city authorities Tesla autonomous robo taxis are safe.
The car maker has unveiled software in a microchip it says will provide “full self-driving” capabilities. This is “the best available and a significant milestone in self-driving” according to a release by Tesla Store Hong Kong. Mr Musk announced on April 22, 2019 he expected regulatory approval for ride-hailing “in some areas” for autonomous vehicles.
Tesla Autopilot Full Self Driving With Model 3 Demonstration
Fair Enough But Will the Technology Have Matured by 2020
Observers note Tesla has only achieved Level 4 autonomy thus far. This means a vehicle can drive itself with a human on standby. If Tesla wants its scheme to operate on a model similar to Uber it is going to need Level 5. This implies “truly autonomous of human agency”.
The chaos following the Boeing 737 debacle is no doubt giving auto regulators second thoughts about taking manufacturers at their word. Gregory Travis, a software developer and pilot for 30 years has written about “the arrogance of software developers unfit to write airplane code”.
Therefore there is uncertainty whether software for the Tesla autonomous robo taxis will pass muster. Moreover there’s also the question of whether ride hailers will be willing to settle back and trust a microchip.
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Preview Image: Model S Used since 2014 at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
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