Skip to main content

Self-Driving Car Facts for Shoppers Curious About What is True and What Is Not

A popular mechanic revisits what consumers need to know before considering buying a car that provides different levels of autonomous self-driving features/capabilities.
Assisted-Driving and Self-Driving Explained

Many of today’s newest models offer Active Driver Assist Systems---also referred to as cars with “Level 2 automation” as opposed to the misleading “self-driving” marketing label Tesla is infamous for---however, the line between what is self-driving and what is driving-assisted can be confusing.

To help consumers decipher the current confusion when shopping for a new car that is described as having assisted or self-driving features/capabilities, here is a recent  video reveal by the same mechanic who gave you The Truth About Tesla---Scotty of the Scotty Kilmer YouTube channel---where he explains to car shoppers what is currently true when it comes to driving automation and assistance features in cars today.

In the video you will learn:

  • The difference between assisted driving and self-driving.
  • That all those Tesla semis making the news lately are not autonomous…yet.
  • About the five different levels of autonomous driving.
  • Most new vehicles today are level 2 or lower.
  • Driverless level 4 vehicles for limited ride share purposes are here, but not allowed in the U.S. yet.
  • True level 5 exists only in theory.
  • The biggest hurdle to a self-driving car is not the car itself.
  • The next biggest hurdle is likely the goal of situational awareness of a self-driving car.
  • The limitations of Mercedes Benz Drive Pilot.
  • Why Level 4 might be safer than Level 3 in practice.
  • The purported advantages of autonomous driving.
  • Crimes we can expect with autonomous cars that are scary.
  • How Tesla “White Hat” hackers expose the security problems of autonomous cars like Tesla.
  • Among autonomous cars, not just Tesla has been hacked.
  • Marketing lies are a problem that confuses car shoppers about autonomous car capabilities and their real-world safety.

For an additional article related to cars that offer some level of autonomous driving, here is an informative review of what a Toyota mechanic found with a Tesla Model Y.

Plus an interesting take on whether cars are too complicated or are many of us just behind the times…and what history actually has to teach us about cars and technology.

Timothy Boyer is a Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

COMING UP NEXT: Common Car Repair Mistake That Costs Owners Big Bucks Every Day

Image Source: Unsplash

Tesla
Tesla Model Y