Lets not forget that Tesla is watching every mile we drive. Outside of regulatory change or regulatory or liability pressures, there is zero reason for Tesla to "reduce functionality." While any one of us can cite to how safely AP navigates our particular commute or typical drive notwithstanding conditions, Tesla is seeing every instance where those drives are successful, unsuccessful, or dangerous. From that I expect they reach the conclusion that under X, Y and Z conditions, we believe that AP will act in a safe manner consistent with our testing and our models, but in A or B situations, given the current state of software, sensors, etc..., we no longer believe we can assure that same safety. Just because it works for you doesn't mean it works well enough across the fleet such that no change is warranted. This whole "Tesla are idiots and stealing my functionality" dynamic simply doesn't make sense to me. Telsa has to assure the safety of every car, and the fact that you have not had a problem [or maybe that it isn't enough of a problem to bother you] doesn't mean that there is sufficient assurance that the fleet will perform adequately in a similar or slightly different circumstance. Why, then, you would argue, did Tesla ever permit the functionality to begin with? They must be cowboy idiots! Or the lawyers got to them. Or the regulators are strong-arming them. Orrrrr functionality which seemed reasonable and tested well on release turned out, in the real world conditions where new roads create new challenges or enough people are using the functionality in a way that decreases functionality forces a change across the board to protect the integrity of all drivers. Sure, I liked that on certain roads that AP was specifically not designed to handle I could use AP with only minimal input, even going faster than the speed limit. I also saw the limitations that required (for me), relatively frequent interventions to protect against the possibility of probability of sub-optimal outcomes. Even on roads where AP is designed to work, I've stopped using AP for the last two weeks under certain circumstances where engaging AP causes the car to dive towards the right lane line even if another car is occupying that space. Tesla has the benefit of many millions of miles of input data to tweak how and when the cars work, and the can mean that when the rubber meets the real world the car needs to be adjusted to provide the greatest possibility of safety and functionality for everyone, even if that means that some of us from time to time won't get every bit of free functionality we used to have. It could be as simple a feedback loop as noticing that too many people are driving 55 in a 35 zone using autopilot without their hands on the wheel (enough or at all). That too many people are using the functionality in a way that was supported but not intended and doing so in a way that potentially creates a danger to themselves or others. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that I don't like fruit. (Dave Attell)
) they say "STOP". Go figure!
