Connect with us

News

Tesla's free Autopilot battles BMW's best driver-assist tech in head-to-head test

Credit: YouTube/Ash Davies on Cars

Published

on

A Tesla Model 3’s Standard Range Plus equipped with the company’s Autopilot feature was recently put to the test against a worthy competitor: the BMW M850i Gran Coupe, a car that combines luxury and performance with the German automaker’s own premium driver-assist software.

YouTube’s Ash Davies on Cars decided to compare the two vehicles and their respective driver-assist software as a way to see how one of the cheapest Tesla vehicles available would fare against the tech of one of the most luxurious and costly BMW vehicles that money could buy. The Model 3 was equipped with the company’s basic Autopilot, a feature that now comes standard on all of Tesla’s vehicles. This means the car was equipped with the ability to steer, accelerate, and brake for other vehicles and passengers in its lane.

The BMW M850i Gran Coupe, on the other hand, is equipped with an optional Driver Assistance Professional Package that gives drivers more awareness through a series of safety features like blind-spot notifications, cross-traffic alerts, lane-keeping steering assist and parking assistance. It also includes a feature that’s somewhat similar to Tesla Autopilot called Extended Traffic Jam Assistant, which helps the driver operate the vehicle in congested areas of the road.

Initially, Davies took the Model 3 out for a drive on his local freeway. Impressed by the vehicle’s ability to control and maneuver without incident, he stated he had no worries about the car driving itself, mostly due to the Driving Visualization feature available on the vehicle’s 15″ display screen. The reviewer noted that the Model 3’s basic Autopilot, while lacking the finer features found in Tesla’s Full Self-Driving suite, already behaves a lot like a human driver. The driver-assist system is also so refined that it’s very easy to trust Autopilot.

Davies then hopped in the six-figure BMW, explaining that the best tech of veteran car manufacturers are usually found in the top end models like the M805i Grand Coupe. While Davies took particular note of the vehicle’s luxurious features, he was not that impressed with the car’s actual tech. Even with its driver-assist feature active, for example, the vehicle’s display does not render any other cars on the road, unlike Tesla’s standard Autopilot.

Advertisement

He also notes that the Driver Assistance package is more like an adaptive cruise control than an Autopilot feature. After unsuccessfully attempting a lane change, Davies opted to test how well the vehicle stops when faced with traffic. The BMW slowed down, but it did so with such abruptness that the reviewer stated that “It slowed down with all the force of a car that thought it was about to have a crash.”

Tesla’s industry-leading Autopilot technology is one of many reasons the electric car maker continues to solidify its reputation as one the most innovative automotive company in the world. As told by Davies in his video, it is apparent Tesla’s Autopilot feature is easily outperforming the much more expensive features on a luxury car like a BMW. Perhaps, the reviewer noted, Tesla is simply a company that is very good with software while veteran automakers like BMW are good with hardware. And when it comes to driver-assist technology, the best software will likely win.

You can watch Ash Davies on Cars‘ comparison of Tesla’s Autopilot and BMW’s driver-assist features in the video below.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

Advertisement
Comments

Elon Musk

Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s $1 trillion pay package hits first adversity from proxy firm

ISS said the size of the pay package will enable Musk to have access to “extraordinarily high pay opportunities over the next ten years,” and it will have an impact on future packages because it will “reduce the board’s ability to meaningfully adjust future pay levels.”

Published

on

tesla elon musk

Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s $1 trillion pay package, which was proposed by the company last month, has hit its first bit of adversity from proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS).

Musk has called the firm “ISIS,” a play on its name relating it to the terrorist organization, in the past.

The pay package aims to lock in Musk to the CEO role at Tesla for the next decade, as it will only be paid in full if he is able to unlock each tranche based on company growth, which will reward shareholders.

However, the sum is incredibly large and would give Musk the ability to become the first trillionaire in history, based on his holdings. This is precisely why ISS is advising shareholders to vote against the pay plan.

The group said that Musk’s pay package will lock him in, which is the goal of the Board, and it is especially important to do this because of his “track record and vision.”

However, it also said the size of the pay package will enable Musk to have access to “extraordinarily high pay opportunities over the next ten years,” and it will have an impact on future packages because it will “reduce the board’s ability to meaningfully adjust future pay levels.”

The release from ISS called the size of Musk’s pay package “astronomical” and said its design could continue to pay the CEO massive amounts of money for even partially achieving the goals. This could end up in potential dilution for existing investors.

If Musk were to reach all of the tranches, Tesla’s market cap could reach up to $8.5 trillion, which would make it the most valuable company in the world.

Tesla has made its own attempts to woo shareholders into voting for the pay package, which it feels is crucial not only for retaining Musk but also for continuing to create value for shareholders.

Tesla launched an ad for Elon Musk’s pay package on Paramount+

Musk has also said he would like to have more ownership control of Tesla, so he would not have as much of an issue with who he calls “activist shareholders.”

Continue Reading

News

Tesla is adding an interesting feature to its centerscreen in a coming update

In a recent dissection of coding, Tesla hacker green noticed that the company is bringing in screenshare with Software Update 2025.38

Published

on

Credit: Tesla

Tesla is adding an interesting feature to its center touchscreen in a coming update, according to a noted hacker.

In a recent dissection of coding, Tesla hacker green noticed that the company is bringing in screenshare with Software Update 2025.38. Details on the use case are slim, but he said the feature would export the car screen so it could be viewed remotely.

It would bring up a notification on the screen, along with a four-digit pin that would link the two together:

As previously mentioned, the use case is unclear, but there are some ideas. One of which is for remote support, which is something Apple has used to help resolve issues with its products.

Support staff and employees routinely tap into customers’ screens to help resolve issues, so this could be a way Tesla could also use it.

This seems especially relevant with Robotaxi, as the screen might be a crucial part of resolving customer complaints when there is no employee in the car.

Additionally, it seems as if it will not be exclusive to those owners who have newer vehicles that utilize the AMD chip. Intel will get support with the new feature as well, according to what green has noticed in the coding.

Finally, it could also be used with all sorts of content creation, especially as Full Self-Driving videos and what the vehicle sees in Driver Visualization.

As it is released, Tesla will likely release more information regarding what the screensharing mode will be used for.

For right now, many owners are wondering where it could actually work and what advantages it will offer for owners as well as the company itself.

Continue Reading

Elon Musk

SpaceX posts Starship booster feat that’s so nutty, it doesn’t even look real

The Super Heavy booster’s feat was so impressive that the whole maneuver almost looked like it was AI-generated.

Published

on

Credit: SpaceX/X

SpaceX has shared a video of a remarkable feat achieved by Starship’s Super Heavy booster during its 11th flight test.

The Super Heavy booster’s feat was so impressive that the whole maneuver, which was captured on video, almost looked like it was AI-generated.

Super Heavy’s picture perfect hover

As could be seen in the video shared by SpaceX, Starship’s Super Heavy booster, which is nearly 400 feet tall, smoothly returned to Earth and hovered above the Gulf of America for a few seconds before it went for its soft water landing. The booster’s picture-perfect maneuver before splashing down all but capped a near-flawless mission for Starship, which is about to enter its V3 era with Flight 12.

The booster’s balance and stability were so perfect that some users on X joked that the whole thing looked AI-generated. Considering the size of Super Heavy, as well as the fact that the booster was returning from space, the hovering display all but showed that SpaceX is dead serious about keeping its dominant lead in the spaceflight sector.

Starship V2’s curtain call

As noted in a Space.com report, Flight Test 11 achieved every major goal SpaceX had set for the mission, including deploying Starlink mass simulators, relighting Raptor engines in space, and executing a stable reentry for both the Starship Upper Stage and the Super Heavy booster. The feat also marked the second time a Super Heavy booster has been reflown, a milestone in SpaceX’s quest to make the entire Starship system fully reusable.

Advertisement

Starship’s V2 vehicle will now give way to the upgraded Starship V3, which is designed for faster turnaround and higher payload capacity. The Starship program is expected to pursue even more aggressive targets in the coming months as well, with Elon Musk stating on social media platform X that SpaceX will attempt a tower catch for Starship Upper Stage as early as spring 2026.

Continue Reading

Trending