Tesla's FSD Faces Scrutiny Compared to Waymo's Driver

Following a recent article on the debate between Waymo and Tesla's Full Self-Driving technology, several readers raised critical points regarding Tesla's FSD system. Reader fm123 highlighted the significant lack of redundancy in Tesla's system, noting that Waymo's design includes separate steering and braking controls, as well as a distinct battery system for its driver computer, ensuring operation even if the car's electrical system fails.

This reader emphasized that the reliance on camera-based AI systems, while effective under ideal conditions, poses risks if something goes wrong, particularly if Tesla intends to deploy cars without human supervisors.

Reader Michael expressed concern over the incentives at Tesla, suggesting that the company's stock price is heavily reliant on the promise of autonomous driving, which may compromise safety priorities.

He questioned the transparency of Tesla's safety data, citing the redacted nature of their latest crash report from Austin. Michael warned that the pressure to deploy robotaxis quickly could lead to corners being cut and critical data being hidden.

Reader Phil11 criticized the crowdsourced data from Tesla's FSD tracker, asserting that if Waymo were to utilize Tesla's latest FSD version, it would result in approximately 4,000 crashes per week and require 57,000 human interventions, indicating that Tesla FSD is far from ready for mass deployment.

This ongoing debate underscores the competitive landscape of autonomous vehicle development and the challenges each company faces as they strive for autonomy.