I interpret this as Elon saying AP2 is better than AP1 in terms of performance.
Based on the videos of 18.10.4 I've seen it looks awesome so it does not seem like he's blowing smoke.
And in a recent TMC poll (admittedly unscientific), the vote is 84%-16% in favor of AP2.
Poll: Has AP2 18.10.4 surpassed AP1 in terms of performance?
No.
Those who have owned and driven AP1 and AP2 cars have not come to this conclusion universally and cannot possibly come to this conclusion until fundamental AP2 shortcomings are fixed (all well-documented in these very fora). For those perhaps unaware or with an agenda, two of these shortcomings include a) speed limit recognition and reaction while TACC and AS are engaged, and b) crossing lane markers - for example and most egregiously, directly adjacent concrete barriers in HOV lanes. Both use cases far better with AP1.
Now, absent those shortcomings, which is to say in more... vanilla use case conditions, AP2 has come a long way and in fact, again as noted elsewhere, *.10.4 is one of the better AP2 updates.
But parity has not yet been reached a year and a half later.
Elon cannot possibly be blamed for the misinterpretations of others, but he is responsible for what comes out of his mouth and he has acknowledged that he can improve his messaging *especially* when it comes to timelines and functionality therein. That said, would you rather an aspirational CEO or a boring one? Well, technically now I guess we have both *cheesy grin*.
Also it is worth noting that:
1. Few are qualified to speak with any credibility whatsoever concerning AP1 and AP2 in practice because few have owned both and fewer still have driven those cars in a variety of conditions.
2. Elon and certain others who have commented about the greatness of AP2 present and future are themselves driving firmware versions well ahead of what we pedants have. Note JonMc’s well-received comments from Europe last Fall. See also the 12/2016 video that was faked, er, tightly controlled and put forth as coming soon - amidst, no less, comments that AP1 and AP2 would be at parity by the end of 2016, and then in 3 months possibly and 6 months definitely.
Not so much, and not today. But with Tesla’s SoC/new board that is currently in development, along with the first real new milestone in sight (stop sign recognition *and* reaction) perhaps as soon as next year, the future is very, very bright.
But we ain’t there yet, and neither is AP2 - relative to AP1, certainly.
You’ll just have to be happy with the fact that AP1 and AP2 are better than anything any other manufacturer has publicly released yet - including the amusing SuperDuperCruise from our friends *cough* at GM.
