Payoffs for Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” Modes
Early this year Tesla rolled out three new driving profiles for its “Full Self-Driving beta, assertive, average and chill. The FSD beta allows for drivers to select how the car reacts to road conditions and situations and varies its aggression in driving mimicking real drivers. From the software it states that the assertive mode will “have a smaller follow distance, perform more frequent speed lane changes, will not exit passing lanes and may perform rolling stops. Though it is not known how much different the modes are, a few videos posted from drivers have shown the new feature got them tickets for rolling through stop signs. The different modes have a series of advantages and disadvantages including battery life, efficiency, and safety. The following go together in that more aggressive and frequent lane changes may decrease the time it takes to arrive at your destination but at the cost of getting into an accident or even a ticket. However, it should be noted that drivers are still meant to be actively paying attention and have the ability to take manual controls even with the capabilities.
In the application of came theory it would make sense that the average mode would have the highest payoff as it combines the two driving styles and mimics as it states an “average” driver. However, the safety features and sensors on the car may have an impact on the FSD as they would intervene to avoid accidents unlike an average driver. In addition, car accidents as a bad payoff also act in the same way as a “Prisoner’s Dilemma” game in that neither car wants to be in an accident so one will always yield to another car in a situation that could potentially have been a crash. Another player to consider in driving is the rule of law, in that certain driving behaviors yield higher payoffs in not being stopped and lower payoffs in getting tickets. It may get the driver to the destination faster, but at the cost of a ticket. In this game however there would be no equilibrium because the driving speed depends on the constantly changing locations of police officers.
Since no data has been published by Tesla on the outcomes for the different FSD modes it is hard to come to a conclusion on what mode yields the highest payoff for efficiency and safety, however as more cars use self driving, presumably it will become easier as driving courtesies or dangerous maneuvers will all be automated or gotten rid of entirely.
Sources:
https://www.theverge.com/2022/1/9/22875382/tesla-full-self-driving-beta-assertive-profile