While Tesla touts its Autopilot system as a game-changer in autonomous driving, not everyone is convinced. Mo Gawdat, cofounder of the Amazon-backed robotaxi company “Wayve,” has expressed his concerns, calling Autopilot “a bit stressful” to use.

Gawdat, who previously held a high-ranking position at Google X, believes that Tesla’s approach to self-driving, relying heavily on a single camera, lacks the robustness needed for truly reliable autonomous driving. He points out that while Autopilot might work well in ideal conditions, it struggles in complex environments or adverse weather, requiring constant driver intervention.

This echoes concerns raised by many safety experts who criticize Tesla’s Autopilot as an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) rather than a true self-driving technology. While the system can handle basic tasks like lane keeping and adaptive cruise control, it relies heavily on human drivers for critical decisions, potentially leading to confusion and mishaps.

Gawdat’s comments highlight the ongoing debate surrounding the development of self-driving technology. While companies like Tesla focus on a single-camera approach, others like Wayve utilize a more comprehensive sensor suite, including radar and lidar, for a more robust understanding of the surrounding environment.

The future of autonomous driving remains unclear, but it’s clear that the industry is still grappling with the technical and ethical challenges of building truly reliable self-driving cars. As Gawdat’s comments suggest, a fully autonomous future may be further away than some companies would like us to believe.