The carmaker “Tesla” will be able to make its vehicles completely autonomous by the end of this year, its founder Ilon Mask told the BBC.
Tesla is already “very close” to meeting the basic requirements of fifth-level autonomy, in which driver involvement is no longer required, he said.
Tesla’s current, second-level autopilot requires the driver to remain alert and ready to act while keeping his hands on the wheel. But a future software update could activate a fifth level of autonomy in cars, Ī. Masks.
Speaking through video, Ī. Masks said at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai: “I am absolutely convinced that the fifth level, or essentially full autonomy, will be and will happen very quickly. I feel that we are very close. I am sure that the basic functionality for fifth level autonomy will be completed for us this year. “There are no major challenges left, but there are many small problems. And all these small problems need to be solved to put the whole system together.”
Tim Urkhart, an analyst at IHS Markit, told the BBC that fifth-level autonomous driving was the “holy grail” of the industry. “This is, as usual, a bold statement by Mr Mask. Even if Tesla can introduce reliable technology into the production environment, the regulatory environment in all major markets lags far behind in allowing fully autonomous vehicles on the road,” he said.
The analyst also emphasized: “I’ve always questioned the name of the Tesla system a bit. The fact that it’s called autopilot, if it’s just a second-tier system, is problematic in my opinion. The fifth tier should be absolutely foolproof, fully tested in the real world. . “
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