Recently I did a test drive of the Tesla Model X using its auto-driving service @ 65mph on the freeway. Wow. It even parallel parked for me with uncanny precision. I was so nervous about putting my trust in a computer, but the smooth ride convinced me that electric cars with assisted artificial intelligence (AI) will be the future. The question isn’t if, but when?
In fact, large gas-powered car giants like General Motors are now joining the band wagon to compete with Tesla. Consumers and a greener environment will be clear winners when market competition drives further innovation and companies invest in infrastructure expansion.
Picture: me getting ready for a test run
I offer my takeaways on Tesla Model X, as well as some thoughts on the electric car market and the promises of self-driving:
Positive
- Tesla Model X has spacious room for 6+ seats, equivalent of an SUV, suitable for a family with frequent trips.
- Autopilot. Note this is not a fully self-driving car (at least not yet). It’s human-assisted; the person has to be an experienced driver. With all the distractions of modern driving, it was somewhat awkward for me to switch on the auto driving feature at high speed on the freeway (letting the computer take control), and then having to manually override when you no longer need autopilot. I don’t recommend an inexperienced driver using this feature. (My suggestion: At some point drivers ed classes need to incorporate this tech. into their driving lessons).
- Long-range: can travel up to 289 miles on a single charge. Tesla plans to double the number of supercharger stations across the U.S. to support long road trips.
- Zero emissions. A selling point for those seeking to reduce carbon footprint.
Negative
- Cost factor—with the price running up to $112K-$115K--which prices many families out of the market. We’re committed to getting an electric car but this isn't at the affordable range. While the Tesla Model 3—Tesla’s most affordable car--with range $35-$50K--isn't ideal for families due to the standard size.
Bullish Future
On balance, I’m optimistic about the growth prospects of this market in the next few quarters as the expansion of charging stations will support long-distance driving and sustainable performance. As the market becomes more mature and competitive, I'm confident the adoption rate will substantially pick up.
Stellar engineering, expanding infrastructure, and more supplier competition, will result in lower prices and more attracting financing for buyers. Lastly, since self-driving uses machine learning to improve its performance, in the near-term massive amounts of data collected from the cloud will likely enable the algorithm to support full auto-pilot mode, which is a stated goal by Elon Musk (Tesla’s CEO).
Note: I'll delve more into the artificial intelligence aspects of driving in another post.
Tesla's super charging map (more dots to come)
Autopilot: AI's view of the world - what machine learning looks like "under the hood"