REVIEW: Autopilot 1 on the Roads of Germany

Last week we featured a comparison between Tesla's Autopilot Version 1 and Version 2. Today we want to highlight another review featuring Version 1.

This review was from a long day trip taken in December 2017, in Cologne, Germany. The trip, which was taken over just one day, was 720 KM (or ~450 miles). Not quite from Boston to Chicago, but an impressive trip in terms of distance covered. The vehicle driven was a 2016 Model S.

Here were the ratings given for this trip:

How Safe I Felt: 5 Stars
Reliability: 4 Stars
Ease of Use: 4.5 Stars
I'd Recommend this Car to Family or Friends: 5 Stars
Overall Experience: 5 Stars

The reviewer did not encounter any major problems throughout the long journey. Here were some further details on the experience:

Autopilot 1 was incredible. I drove about 720km that day, using a lot of AP. Although you have to keep overseeing that AP does not mess up, it helped me incredibly by reducing the amount of micromanaging, constant high alertness, stress, fatigue I would have normally encountered driving in European dense city and highway traffic. It really keeps the lane better than me already, giving me a much safer feeling driving for hours in dense traffic. Heavy commuter infused city-highways and traffic jams become a breeze. I cannot wait for my Model3 to arrive! Looking forward to a minimal emission, quiet, electric future with self driving cars.

It is important to note the reviewer mentions his constant awareness to oversee what Autopilot is doing. This is extremely important. Making headlines in the news this week was a Tesla user who figured out a workaround to having your hands on the wheel when Tesla requires it. The driver lodged an orange in the steering wheel to meet the requirement. This sounds like a recipe for disaster. Luckily, the reviewer here was alert and arrived safely after an almost 500 mile trip.

Image credit: Tesla Motors

REVIEW: Autopilot 1 on the Roads of Germany

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