Research Note
Automated Driving Claim Evaluation Framework
An automated-driving claim is incomplete until it names the system, version, dynamic driving task, human role, fallback, operational design domain, remote assistance, veh
In this article
Automated Driving Claim Evaluation Framework
An automated-driving claim is incomplete until it names the system, version, dynamic driving task, human role, fallback, operational design domain, remote assistance, vehicle, jurisdiction, permit, evidence, and current availability.
NHTSA distinguishes Level 2 advanced driver assistance from Level 3 through 5 automated driving systems. In Level 2, the driver remains responsible, monitors continuously, and must be ready to control steering, braking, and throttle. A mature ADS performs the full dynamic driving task within a defined domain.
Tesla's current support page describes FSD Supervised as an advanced driver-assistance feature that requires an attentive driver and does not make the vehicle autonomous.
Claim-completion record
| Element | Required answer |
|---|---|
| System | Product, version, hardware, software, vehicle, and date |
| Driving task | Steering, acceleration, braking, detection, response, and planning performed |
| Human role | Driver, monitor, fallback-ready user, passenger, remote assistant, or supervisor |
| Domain | Road, geography, speed, weather, light, map, traffic, and other constraints |
| Fallback | Human takeover, minimal-risk condition, stop, or other response |
| Authority | Jurisdiction, permit category, exemption, reporting, and effective date |
| Evidence | Exposure, interventions, crashes, scenarios, methodology, and limitations |
| Availability | Test, pilot, employee access, invited users, public service, or consumer feature |
NHTSA crash reports have exposure, duplicate, reporting, classification, and comparability limits. A count without miles, domain, severity, reporting scope, and methodology is not a safety comparison.
California DMV separates safety-driver testing, driverless testing, and deployment. A private event ride or company filing is not a deployment permit.
Sources
Follow the evidence.
- daltonanderson.ghost.io: elon musks big bets starship teslas ai fleetdaltonanderson.ghost.io
- esto.nasa.gov: trlesto.nasa.gov
- ir.tesla.comir.tesla.com
- ir.tesla.com: tsla 20260128 genir.tesla.com
- ir.tesla.com: tsla 20251231 genir.tesla.com
- open.spotify.com: 40qV14aYmmoYMkcQdIO21eopen.spotify.com
- tsapps.nist.gov: get pdftsapps.nist.gov
- daltonanderson.net: elon musks big bets starship teslas ai fleetdaltonanderson.net
- dmv.ca.gov: autonomous vehicles program permit resourcesdmv.ca.gov
- faa.gov: spacex starshipfaa.gov
- faa.gov: activity archivefaa.gov
- nhtsa.gov: voluntary safety self assessmentnhtsa.gov
- nhtsa.gov: standing general order crash reportingnhtsa.gov
- nhtsa.gov: automated vehicles safetynhtsa.gov
- nist.gov: autonomy levels unmannednist.gov
- spacex.com: starship flight 5spacex.com
- tesla.com: we robottesla.com
- tesla.com: AItesla.com
- tesla.com: fsdtesla.com
- youtu.be: c6yeP cvRzwyoutu.be