Musk prefers to sit in highway traffic with the autopilot than to use Waze

While making bold predictions about autonomous cars during a podcast session with an investment firm this week, Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, also explained how he is moving – from the top of his list. a very Tesla way.

In conversation with ARK Invest – a Tesla shareholder who wrote a stern letter to Musk after tweeting about the privatization of Tesla – Musk said that Tesla vehicles would be able to autonomously drive here the end of the year and that by the end of 2020, the man the motorists would not have to pay attention while the car is rolling and you can even take a nap until you reach the end of the year. to arrive at your destination.

As for what electric cars are capable of doing now, Musk said that he was a big supporter of Tesla's semi-autonomous autopilot system. "It is dangerous not to activate the autopilot," he said in an interview. Last October, Tesla released "Navigate on Autopilot", an advanced highway feature that allows the car to change lanes and even double the slower traffic.

Navigate is still a beta program, so you should always confirm that you want the car to take some of the suggested actions. But this will eventually become an autonomous system.

Musk takes advantage of what comes closest to highway autonomy. He said: "Even if the way back is shorter, you still take the highway because you can use the autopilot," he said. "I stopped using Waze for example … and I just took the highway", so I can activate the autopilot. "

He further explained why giving up Waze was the most effective way to drive: "You know, crossing a bunch of windy streets, which is a bit heavy overhead rather than sitting on the road and to ride, it's better ".

Waze and other navigation apps often find roads and shortcuts in neighborhoods when freeways get clogged, but advanced autopilot functionality does not work in these environments. So if you take a Waze route instead of letting the car do most of the work on the highway, you are entirely responsible. On the highway with Auto Pilot Navigate enabled, you must always think, concentrate and pay attention, but the car also monitors you if you are sitting in traffic or going to the exit.

For Musk, his dedication to autopilot means that he is not sent into random ditches or closed roads, but he also does not receive these helpful police notifications.