A Tesla Autopilot engineer has teased significant progress in self-driving technology, responding to criticism that FSD isn’t on par with Waymo.
The exchange has everyone guessing what Tesla will unveil next.
The Criticism
The debate started when James Wang, a long-term Tesla shareholder and critic, claimed that Tesla’s FSD is
“not remotely close to Waymo,”
suggesting it’s behind by “at least 100x.”
While Wang acknowledged Tesla’s advantage in geographic coverage, Waymo is limited to geofenced areas, he expressed doubt that Tesla could match Waymo’s safety standards without hardware changes.
“I would be shocked and delighted if it managed to get to Waymo-level safety without hardware changes,”
Wang said.
Tesla’s Response
Phil Duan, a Senior Staff Software Engineer on Tesla’s Autopilot team, fired back with a cryptic yet intriguing response,
“Prepare to be shocked.”
While Duan didn’t provide a timeline or specifics, his comment has fueled speculation about Tesla’s upcoming advancements in autonomy.
What’s Next for Tesla FSD?
Tesla has big ambitions for its FSD software this year. CEO Elon Musk has previously stated that he expects some jurisdictions, including Texas and California, to allow FSD to operate without human supervision in 2025.
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