Explaining Full Self Driving to a new driver

The best way to explain Full Self Driving (FSD) to a new driver is "It is a toddler."

PHANTOM BRAKING


These often reproducible, uncommanded, sudden braking events are often due to stale Google Maps showing long gone construction zones.

UNCOMMANDED TURNS AND LANE CHANGES


Regardless of turn signal or up coming turns, it will insist on turning the wrong way or changing to the wrong lane. It will actually come to the intersection and suddenly, abruptly change lanes in the middle of the intersection.

NAGGING


Even if your hand is on the wheel, it is either too light or too heavy and we're not going to let you know where it is in the range. With other cars a half a mile away, you looked at the impossible navigation map too long.

IGNORING OPEN ROADS AND TAKING PRIVATE ROADS


Even if the map shows the road, it won't take the shorter route. Instead, it will try to take a private, close road found on the Google Map.

LONGER, HIGHER SPEED ROUTE NOT SHORTCUT


Navigation will drive twice as far at twice the speed as taking a slower, more efficient, same time route.

NO MEMORY ... ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE


Like the movie "50 First Dates," the car has no memory of corrective action or preferred routes. Each drive is a totally new experience with no memory of past problems.

REVERSE POLISH WAY POINTS


If you want to enter way points on a route, use reverse Polish notation. You stack the way points from the destination to your current location.

If you approach FSD like it is a toddler, you'll do OK. A work in progress, it has gotten 'less bad' but still a handful.

Bob Wilson