So true, here in rural farm country, surrounded by F-250s, RAMs and Silverados, I often feel like my R1T is a compact.
Between the fun twisty roads or off road adventures where we want to be driving, there are 100s of miles of open boring highways where a good self-driving can be relaxing.
For me, it isn't my "sole" reason, but to be fair, there are plenty of times when I'm glad I have FSD. I just took a round-trip from Garner, NC, to Baltimore, MD, along I-95 this past weekend for an Orioles game (about 350-ish miles one-way). I had FSD on for roughly 95% of the round trip, including brain-melting traffic in Northern VA going and coming.
This. If you think the R1T is huge go test drive an F-250
We are in the same boat (or SUV). Our MY tells us we use FSD 98% of the time. Our R1S has some real advantages (not to mention a sane CEO, and a mission-driven company), but they need real autonomy, and it’s hard to allocate the resources given the cash burn and the bet-the-company focus on R2. Hey, can we at least have self-parking?
The desire to base a decision on buying a 50-100k object to only solely drive it around makes me wonder how many Enterprise rentals you could do for $60k. That was actual math we did when we ran as a single-car house for a while. But the answer is that both Lyft/Uber and rentals added too much inconvenience and friction. And also, the math is incorrect in your proposal, obviously. You have to consider total cost of ownership and eventual resale.
Well put and whole heartedly agree. While I love to drive and get that sentiment, a lot of driving when you really think about is boring as hell commuting or being stuck in traffic. This is where I truly found the value prop of FSD. When it comes to road trips or sitting in stop and go traffic, I'll gladly just be an observer.For me, it isn't my "sole" reason, but to be fair, there are plenty of times when I'm glad I have FSD. I just took a round-trip from Garner, NC, to Baltimore, MD, along I-95 this past weekend for an Orioles game (about 350-ish miles one-way). I had FSD on for roughly 95% of the round trip, including brain-melting traffic in Northern VA going and coming.
This was leaving my house (it backed out of my driveway and drove us) and ending at our breakfast stop in S. Chesterfield. I took the wheel only twice the whole time (once in Smithfield because there was construction, and the entrance to I-95 had shifted from the right side of the road to the left, and the car didn't know it yet):
For highway driving, FSD is my go-to. Interstate driving is a mind-suck. Hell, I even use it on my daily commute, taking the kids to school and picking them up.
I'm getting an R2 with the "hope" that it'll eventually be able to do the same thing.
I'll assume this is an honest question, because to me it seems so odd. When my truck drove me 1700 miles recently, in very high comfort, with a lot of space, and all my creature comforts at hand like a fridge with cold drinks...that made it worth the cost. To me. I have a Comma self driving system to make up for Rivian's shortcomings. Self driving doesn't erase the value of a luxury vehicle.
I agree, but AP is now gone (or being removed soon). I think that EAP or what the Comma does is perfect, because you give up 98% of the workload. So I have to turn into a parking lot manually.
Yep. Our iX has pretty stellar ADAS, but I never rely on it with complete hands off so it's not all that relaxing, but the slightly "less attention" mode, sure that's fine, it's a touch above speed control, with lane centering, I might let go here and there. It's just not a huge thing for us. We go to the Keys about every year, ~400 miles, lots of I-95, I don't use it that much.
This is a fair point IMO. If Rivian can give us FSD like on road trips that's good enough for me. Interstates for sure but long drives on backroads or the old numbered highways is also important.
