Meghana KandraTesla’s testing process to allow its customers to try it out came into action when people asked for it. Jim Farley recent tweet releasing its BlueCruise launch was a direct attack at Tesla’s testing process.
BlueCruise! We tested it in the real world, so our customers don’t have to. pic.twitter.com/dgqVkWH31r
— Jim Farley (@jimfarley98) April 14, 2021
BlueCruise
BlueCruise is software, to be included in March-E and F-150 pick up. Ford is going to allow 10,000 members to try the new driver-less cars, which will be provided on a subscription basis. BlueCruise costs $600 every three years, however, it varies with the model.
This model is supposedly an answer to Tesla’s Autopilot and General Motors’s Super Cruise. Upon its release, the Chief product platform, and operations officer, Hau Thai-Tang said,
“There are highway intricacies and driving conditions that you simply cannot replicate in a lab. Sending these vehicles out for real-world driving experience is just one of many ways we ensured that BlueCruise technology. It offers confidence and convenience for drivers all across the continent.”
All of this was exciting and new for buyers, and Ford is expecting to sell at least 100,000 vehicles with BlueCruise.
Jim Farley’s tweet
It was a bold move to stir an unexpected fight with Tesla in a sly manner, a tweet posted by Jim Farley. He tweeted “BlueCruise! We tested it in the real world, so our customers don’t have to.”
Tesla does allow its customers to be part of the testing process. Before this kind of testing, it was initially fans’ interest to participate. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) did state on FSB Beta’s safety. It wasn’t considered safe by NTSB, however, the process is still done with the driver’s consent. Also, proper assistance is provided to testers. And if someone is not using the FSD Beta properly, they are being removed from their access to the car.
FSD Beta has now been expanded to ~2000 owners & we’ve also revoked beta where drivers did not pay sufficient attention to the road. No accidents to date.
Next significant release will be in April. Going with pure vision — not even using radar. This is the way to real-world AI.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 12, 2021
Maybe it was a marketing tactic from Ford’s CEO, Jim Farley. But this kind of ignorance on why Tesla does testing this way is not impressive. Tesla is known as top-notch in the Electric vehicle industry. Every company is fighting to be better than Tesla. Having better technology is one thing while comparing “safety matters” based on the banner tagline is another.
The FSD Beta is still in infancy mode, and the camera is effective enough to try and detect phone usage and other distractions. However, there are many changed to be done. Tesla acknowledges their limitations. And does take actions by revoking those drivers who plausibly could be in danger if ignored.
The BlueCruise might be a good one now as Jim Farley says, but Tesla has been here all along and not many like the idea of degrading Tesla‘s process without a piece of concrete evidence.