(Almost) Self-Driving Car Comparison Test: Tesla vs. BMW vs. Ford vs. GM | Hands-Free Driving Test

Self-driving cars have been “on the horizon” seemingly forever, and while we still haven’t bridged the gap to true autonomy, today’s driving assist systems are more advanced than ever — and they’re becoming increasingly common. In this video, Edmunds' Clint Simone and Brian Wong put four of the most powerful systems to the test: BMW’s Driving Assistant Plus, GM’s Super Cruise, Ford’s BlueCruise and, of course, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Beta.

Intro 00:00
Bluecruise 00:52
Highway Assistant 05:00
Super Cruise 08:38
Full Self Driving Beta 14:11
Conclusion 20:51

[edmundscars]

Would you trust a hands-free driving system on the road? Let us know in the comments.

[shaneruljancich]

ya, can't see how the Tesla was placed 4th when it did things none of the other could and did better on the highway as well. Pretty arbitrary to say its not hands free because you have to touch the wheel. Would the ranking be different if you call it best Driver Assistance?

[bigdougscommentary]

I currently have FSD Beta that has incorporated Autopilot into one software package. My son lives 50 miles away and the car routinely drives me to and from his house with absolutely no interventions. City streets, highway, interchange transitions, doesn’t matter.

[markstemmett]

Although I have a bmw I can’t believe why this test did not put the Tesla tops

[dexagalapagos]

I have a Tesla FSD and it's by far the best self-driving system out there right now. I just wish other companies licensed Tesla's self driving so I could get a nicer car. I don't much like Teslas as cars, but the FSD is nothing short of amazing. FSD + Cadillac's camera based attention monitoring would be an amazing combo.

[George_Shonia]

It's would be much better if all this tests were done by same driver, because he would point out the differences he noticed.

[GlitterGuru]

Why include the Tesla in the test if it's automatically disqualified for not being hands-free?

[bigdean]

No surprise Edmunds ranked Tesla 4th. These car review sites always give Tesla a bad name for no reason. I have a 23 MY and you can make autopilot hands free easily, you may have to hit the volume button every so often but I rarely have my hands on the wheel.

[djand]

We have a subscription to FSD and it takes a little bit to get used to how it does things. For example, the intersection at 19:38 you can control when it starts across by giving some throttle. FSD takes throttle and turn signal inputs without ending the driving session. Also, you only have to kep one hand on the wheel, and not even constantly. I often just use the volume scroll wheel to let it know that I'm paying attention.

[ThatGuyThatGames]

Dude was overplaying keeping your hands on the wheel in the Tesla way, way too much

[mtnv]

Oh, Edmunds… the comments say it all.

[TimothyParker]

Why the hell did you compare road testing in the tesla to hwy testing on all the others! The Tesla was flawless on the hwy and performed well on roads.

[tkbuz]

“You can’t win a hands free driving contest if you don’t have hands free driving”. Pre-determination at its best. Note to reviewer: you don’t need to white knuckle the wheel with both hands while using FSD. Just rest your left hand at about 7 o’clock, and enjoy the magic.

[DeepDishLA]

Summary of video : Best self-driving on highway - Edmunds said it was the 3-year old Tesla Model Y with FSD Beta package. Best self-driving on city streets - Edmunds said it was the 3-year old Tesla Model Y with FSD Beta package. But Tesla asks you to keep hands on the wheel, and Tesla enforces that one hand is pulling on the wheel every 30 seconds or so. Would have been better to test a 2023 Tesla with the new wider-view cameras and upgraded processing that comes free and standard on S/X/Y. Should do one test with completely free and included autopilot package, and then another test with $199 per month FSD Beta package. You should have also tested night driving and longer 30-minute drives because most of America does not drive on freeways like the 405.

[SanePerson]

I have full FSD beta for my LR AWD Model 3 (purchased late 2019 for $6K). A couple of things you should have noted: while your current Ford system was not bad, you said that your older Lightening system is awful. There's no excuse for that - any modern computer-controlled system should be fixed with an over-the-air update. I felt that your commentary on FSD was mostly fair (with the admission that your surface street anxiety my well be your problem, not FSD's problem). Your having given the most advanced system the lowest rating because it isn't technically "hands-free" was, frankly, stupid. Every FSD user knows that they can be hands-free for several seconds without getting anywhere near "Tesla Jail" - and IMHO, none of these systems should have drivers being hands-free for longer than that anyway. So you downgraded it on the basis of a stupid technicality. 

That DOESN'T mean that FSD doesn't sometimes do scary things. Phantom braking is still a thing - on a road trip of several hundred miles, it'll probably happen once or twice - and I always wonder, "What if someone had been behind me?" When I'm driving with full navigation on an uncrowded semi-rural highway, FSD can suddenly decide to take an exit not on my route for no discernable reason and I have to jerk the car back onto the main lane. The anxiety you experienced on taking a left across right-bound traffic on a busy street - that's real too - and, conversely, I sometimes have to goose the car to properly take it's turn at 4-way stops. Honestly, I find complicated surface street FSD use too anxiety-inducing to use routinely - and there's no way I'm going to let it navigate an area under construction.

[twothbeave]

This is a f’ing joke. My Model Y performance drives to and from work 50 miles in traffic and every other condition including going up a road that none of these other systems could dream of when I live. One tap and multiple days I never have to make a correction. These other systems are glorified cruise control. PERIOD. They will not let you drive on roads not already programmed. That is a huge difference. FSD will drive on any road. All this before it goes all Nueral network goes live.

[wwexgqv]

Just so there's no confusion about the cost of Tesla's software: Autopilot for highways is included in the price of the car. Enhanced Autopilot is $6k. FSD is $12K. You can also use Autopilot on city streets if you like, but it will not be nearly as good as FSD. Nor as "comfortable". Normal Autopilot will also not do turns; etc.

[sharathnd]

Wow, there really are 2 ways to look at this, as a driver assistance package and hands free driving. Agreed model y doesnt have full hands free unlike the others but isnt it superior tech as you mentioned in every driving circumstances on the highway?

Would you ding the system because you gotta keep a hand on it ?? (You dont beed 2 hands at 9 and 3, just one hand at 6 works too) Also Autopilot is free with all Teslas that you fail to mention whereas in all the others you have to pay for an assistence package.

Autopilot does lane and maintenance the lane like the others. Which by default mkaes the tesla a better bang for the buck.

[curlytoezz]

4th place for the Tesla? How do you guys rank these lol? It literally got you from the highway to the hq office

[surfnetdz]

You guys did a good and fair testing job. But I can’t agree with the ratings. How is it fair to rate Tesla last when you said it did best on the same things that other cars can also do (and do what others can’t do)? 🤷🏻‍♂️