Following the upgrade of Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system to version V14.2.1, drivers can now, under specific circumstances, "take their hands off the wheel and eyes off the road," aligning with the L3 autonomous driving criteria and delivering on Musk's earlier commitment. This development has ignited a flurry of debates among netizens. While some are exhilarated by the technological leap, others harbor concerns over its safety and legality, given that U.S. regulations remain stringent. In China, Huawei is leading the charge towards L3 autonomy, with its ADS4 Ultra technology already enabling high-speed L3 capabilities. Momenta has also unveiled an L3 autonomous driving solution, and Zoyu boasts substantial L3 hardware technology reserves. Conversely, automakers like XPENG have opted to leapfrog to L4 autonomous driving. The crux of the L3 autonomous driving debate lies in the allocation of responsibilities, necessitating legal protections. Presently, domestic regulations are undergoing gradual refinement, yet private vehicles are still prohibited from operating without hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. Musk, in his response, left some room for interpretation, noting that texting while using FSD should hinge on the prevailing traffic conditions.
