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Regarding the autonomous driving space, here's how to identify the current leaders.
Some component manufacturers allow autonomous driving to become a reality, such as Nvidia (NVDA) and Intel (INTC). There are Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platforms such as Waymo of Alphabet (GOOG) (GOOG) and the GM cruise (General Motors). Then there are the cars intended for purchase by the consumer.
There is a multitude of choices, but the Tesla Autopilot (TSLA) has long been considered the king.
Will the crown be gone?
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General Motors is a self-driving dowel
According to a recent Consumer Reports study, they found that GM's Super Cruise program outperformed the Tesla autopilot.
The formal study of Consumer Reports comes as "we are at a critical point where they are becoming mainstream," according to Jake Fisher, director of automated testing. In addition to Tesla and GM, the study also included the Nissan ProPilot Assist and Volvo Pilot Assist, which were third and fourth respectively.
The findings of the four systems concluded that, while useful and beneficial in some situations, none of the platforms were capable of operating autonomously. For those who follow the industry, however, this is not a surprise. This also looks like a study done by the Insurance Institute for Road Safety earlier this year. Although the IIHS did not test the GM Super Cruise, it concluded that none of the vehicles tested – including the Daimler Mercedes (DDAIF), Tesla S and 3 models, a BMW 5 series (BMWYY) and a Volvo S90 – could drive themselves. However, the Tesla had the most accurate results.
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Consumer Reports notes that the Tesla autopilot was very easy to use and had a lot of capacity, but said GM's Super Cruise had "the best work to do to balance high-tech capabilities by ensuring that the car is used in complete safety and that the driver is attentive ".
This is not surprising, given the attention given by the Chief Executive Officer, Mary Barra, to safety since her arrival at the helm of the automaker, at the heart of the controversy surrounding switches. ;ignition.
However, an important distinction needs to be taken into account here: Autopilot and Super Cruise can be similar while operating in the same controlled test environments, but there are some key differences.
First, Super Cruise operates in geofenced areas. This means that GM must map these highways and main roads before Super Cruise is able to use them. While this may not be a problem for motorists in major cities, those looking to buy a Super Cruise equipped car and drive it to their neighborhood grocery store may be disappointed.
This raises another point. The Tesla autopilot is available on its three vehicles, the S, X and 3 models. Conversely, the GM Super Cruise is only available on the Cadillac CT6. However, GM plans to extend Super Cruise to other Cadillac vehicles in 2020, as well as extend the technology to its other brands.
So even though GM can impose limits on cars equipped with technology right now and or This technology is available, it is impressive when it is operational. The disadvantage of geofencing is obvious in that it can not be used in all scenarios, only when GM has already been mapped. The good news? This makes the situation safer, as GM constantly maps and adds these updates to its vehicles.
It is also an essential selling point for Tesla, as the vehicle is able to receive radio updates of its new driver software. Like version 9 of the autopilot is just start for deployment to early-access clients, it is unlikely that this will be part of the Consumer Reports study.
This is a pity, as it should greatly increase the capabilities of the autopilot. Unlike Super Cruise, the autopilot observes and reacts to the driving situation in real time. In other words, it is not necessary that it is in a geo-fenced area to function. Although the advantages of this are obvious, the disadvantage is that its functionality is less reliable.
So, what is the takeaway? When the autopilot is upgraded to version 9, it may be recovered. But one thing is certain, GM, Tesla and others will continue to fight for first place.
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