I can't believe I'm taking the time to do this, but yes you want it. The main issue right now is NOA, self-driving on freeways. I've been using it for a year. I can say "navigate to XYZ" and as soon as I'm onto the freeway on-ramp it drives, makes lane changes, gets on the next freeway(s), all the way to the final exit - I supervise. Sometimes I kick it to manual for a specific situation, say a very sharp curve cloverleaf, unexpected stuff, maybe 5% of the itinerary, but tap right back into NOA. No question, 95% of my freeway/highway driving is automated.
It takes some time to get comfortable with it, it's a very different way to operate. A few hours with it isn't enough. Initially most people are either over-nervous, and they focus on the negatives, then come around and say it's wonky. No it isn't. Or they're dumb and happy and expect it to do everything like a chauffeur, until (doh!) they realize they DO have to supervise, and then they come back and say it's scary. No it isn't. I'm so tired of all the short traders and others who keep putting it down. It's hard to believe they've actually used any of the recent versions and WANTED to. There are imperfections, so what, it's like any tech that we use all the time.
My personal nightmare is this maze at the East end of the SF Bay Bridge. You get crazy drivers changing their minds and coming at you in your every blind spot as your head spins trying to change lanes to get on the right freeway. I just let the car do it now, I almost close my eyes. I got the dashcam front camera video of the process, working its way around cars cutting in. I need to take the time to post it at 3x playback, it's pretty amazing.
I've never had a "phantom braking" over the last year, I've had a couple of slowdowns, but some people report their car has reacted to obstacles that aren't there. Well, if my car did that, I'd be ready and override it. You get to know it over time, when it's best to disengage, for how long, how to ride WITH it. It took me like 3 months to really flow with it, I was skittish at first, and it wasn't as advanced a year ago. Now I ride it like it's part of me, and I wouldn't give it up for anything. All those freeway miles? It's almost like riding the train, for me that's
easily worth 1/3 of the car price.
Off the freeway? I love requesting a lane change and letting the car choose the right moment. Now, for someone who doesn't have to deal with any multi-lane freeways and highways, say living in the countryside, NOA isn't relevant, the simple AP is perfectly adequate, you can do your infrequent lane changes in manual.
Summon in parking lots is a feature I seldom use. When I do it's funny, the car is very cautious. The other day some people kept loading stuff in their SUV, and every time they'd walk around their car, my car would stop again and wait. After a while they noticed there was nobody behind the wheel, they stopped moving to stare, so the Tesla resumed coming to me. Self-parking comes in handy, I'm not great at parallel parking.
As to street level, simple AP mode is fine, stop and go, it covers a lot of nuisance driving. But in NOA on the freeway in rush hour it does everything including changing lanes, taking the right exit. There won't likely ever be a "today = complete
divine FSD". It will gradually take on more street level self-navigation.
If you can afford it, it's a no brainer, why get half a Tesla? Putting it off will require a cash outlay to get it later, and that always comes at the worst moment. Just finance it and know you've got it covered, you've got the best computerized car in the world.
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