Tesla Autopilot

Tesla Autopilot is an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) developed by Tesla that amounts to partial vehicle automation (Level 2 automation, as defined by SAE International). Tesla provides "Base Autopilot" on all vehicles, which includes lane centering and traffic-aware cruise control. Owners may purchase an upgrade to "Enhanced Autopilot" (EA) which adds semi-autonomous navigation on limited access roadways, self-parking, and the ability to summon the car from a garage or parking spot. The company claims the features reduce accidents caused by driver negligence and fatigue from long-term driving. Collisions and deaths involving Tesla cars with Autopilot engaged have drawn the attention of the press and government agencies.

Full Self-Driving (FSD) is Tesla's branding for its beta testing program to achieve fully autonomous driving (SAE Level 5). The naming is controversial, because vehicles operating under FSD remain at Level 2 automation and are therefore not "fully self-driving" and require active driver supervision. FSD adds semi-autonomous navigation on city streets and the ability to respond to visible traffic lights or stop sign. As of February 2023, Tesla has about 360,000 participants in the FSD program. Industry observers and academics have criticized Tesla's decision to use untrained consumers to validate beta features as dangerous and irresponsible.

The company's stated intent is to offer fully autonomous driving at a future time, acknowledging that technical and regulatory hurdles must be overcome to achieve this goal. Since 2013, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has made repeated inaccurate predictions for Tesla to achieve Level 5 autonomy, most recently predicting the end of 2023.