The issue is not quite how good the automation is in absolute terms, it's how good it is vs. how it is sold. Tesla is an outlier here, right down to the use of the term "FSD" i.e. "Full Self-Driving", when it's nothing of the sort.
Tesla could very well have the best FSD marketing on the software. And that's dangerous.
Data point: the "First To Gain U.S. Approval For Level 3 Automated Driving System" is ... Mercedes-Benz
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kyleedward/2023/09/28/mercedes-...
The second will be, IDK, maybe BMW? https://www.bmwblog.com/2024/06/25/bmw-approval-for-combinin...
It’s actually more a testament to Mercedes Benz’s ability to navigate regulatory slog.
VW would’ve passed emissions if the technicians didn’t take it out of the lab to test for on-road conditions.
Not just “the driver is only in the seat for legal reasons” bullshit (“but watch us throw a press conference to parade your talented data for the world if we think it will protect our reputation at your expense”).
I for one find this line of argument - that videos on YouTube are a stronger signal than regulatory approval - to be absolutely wrongheaded, delusional and laughable. YouTube proves nothing, and as a platform, was never intended to. Unlike regulatory approval.
Comparing fsd to whatever Mercedes is doing is like chatgpt v Markov chains