Everything is impossible until someone goes and does it.

People with a shit ton more experience with automotive engineering and autonomous driving than anyone on this forum certainly think it is possible and profitable or else they would not be wasting their careers working on it.

Tesla risking it all to do something innovative is exactly in character with the company and the cornerstone of how they went from nothing in 2008 to the most valuable car company today (some automakers still had models barely warmed over from pre2008 until recently). Tesla went from making a handful of electric lotus elises in 2008 to producing the best selling vehicle of 2023. Tesla launched a direct to consumer sales model when many said it couldn't be done. They single handedly created a charging network that works while the rest of the industry was a dumpster fire.  Their single large screen automotive interior design is rapidly being copied by the rest of the industry. However they got there by taking huge risks.  They abandoned their successful niche sports car market to make the Model S, and then they risked it all again to make the Model 3 which almost bankrupted the company.  Either way they kicked off the EV revolution, you'd have to be delusional to think that EVs would be where they are without Tesla.  Prior to Tesla, every modern EV was some super eco shitbox or oddity.

Objectively speaking the Tesla story is the most incredible automotive rise in our lifetimes.

They are risking it again now on autonomous driving.  Sure they might totally fail and go under, or they might actually pull it off and revolutionize the automotive industry again.  Either way they wouldn't be Tesla if they didn't at least try.

Quote from: giant_mtb on May 02, 2024, 01:16:45 PMI have no memory of ever being in a car seat or using a booster seat. I was born in 1990.

Kids these days are probably gonna have PTSD from being strapped/locked in to a car seat because they can actually remember it since it's required 'til they're in 2nd or 3rd grade.

Other than the safety aspect, which may or may not be, it lets little kids look out the car windows.  Whenever I drive around with our 3 year old grandson, which is quite often, he's perched up in his seat with a constant monologue about what's happening out the windows..."I see a blue car, it's a red light, look at that noisy car, the light is green" etc.  He's a regular little back-seat driver.

Quote from: FoMoJo on May 02, 2024, 10:08:13 AMSomething like this could be an option if they are practical and not really fussy about appearances...

Passenger Van

Just remove the last row of seating and it would be an 8 passenger van with loads of cargo space.

These things handle better than people realize.

Quote from: CaminoRacer on May 02, 2024, 11:28:01 AMI'm just waiting for a booster seat to be required for 16 year olds with their driving permit.

I have no memory of ever being in a car seat or using a booster seat. I was born in 1990.

Kids these days are probably gonna have PTSD from being strapped/locked in to a car seat because they can actually remember it since it's required 'til they're in 2nd or 3rd grade.

Just a general FYI ITT: Waymo's attempt of commercialization of "autonomous" (mapped) driving has been a failure. Turns out, reimagining the taxi industry to such an extent was a colossally bad business decision.

Quote from: MrH on May 02, 2024, 11:48:23 AMThere is no "if".  It's not a possibility.

"So he has switched his focus to full self driving where Tesla has a significant lead over everyone else.  If his robotaxi comes to successful fruition it may be a brilliant move but I don't think it will, especially in a highly regulatory U.S. and Western Europe environment. It just takes one fatality or severe injury to shut the whole thing down."

I think that's pretty clear I don't think Tesla's robotaxi will be a success.

Quote from: veeman on May 02, 2024, 11:45:50 AMWhat have I said that indicates I think Tesla's robotaxi will be a success? 

Quote from: veeman on May 02, 2024, 10:02:50 AMOK.  Perhaps Musk thinks he can beat Waymo because a Waymo technology equipped car costs a whole lot more than a Tesla car with FSD. If he can get his FSD to be truly driverless, as a robotaxi he would be able to signficantly undercut Waymo in price for a ride. 

 

There is no "if".  It's not a possibility.

Quote from: MrH on May 02, 2024, 11:42:44 AMIt's not possible.  I'm not sure why you keep talking like it is.

Tesla has the worst auto windshield wipers out there, by far.  They're camera based.  They haven't been able to get it to work since it was introduced with the Model S.  If their camera based system can't figure out whether it's raining or not, in the last 8 years, how can you possibly think it will figure out driving to go millions of miles without an intervention?

This is all so dumb.

What have I said that indicates I think Tesla's robotaxi will be a success? 

Quote from: veeman on May 02, 2024, 10:02:50 AMOK.  Perhaps Musk thinks he can beat Waymo because a Waymo technology equipped car costs a whole lot more than a Tesla car with FSD.  If he can get his FSD to be truly driverless, as a robotaxi he would be able to signficantly undercut Waymo in price for a ride. 

 

It's not possible.  I'm not sure why you keep talking like it is.

Tesla has the worst auto windshield wipers out there, by far.  They're camera based.  They haven't been able to get it to work since it was introduced with the Model S.  If their camera based system can't figure out whether it's raining or not, in the last 8 years, how can you possibly think it will figure out driving to go millions of miles without an intervention?

This is all so dumb.

Quote from: RomanChariot on May 02, 2024, 09:06:20 AMBooster seats are required up to age 8. The NHTSA recommends children up to age 12 be in a booster seat but they haven't been able to make a requirement yet.

I'm just waiting for a booster seat to be required for 16 year olds with their driving permit.