Another challenge is programming for safety and practicality, which are often at odds with each other. If we program a vehicle purely for safety, its safest option is not to drive. Driving is an inherently dangerous operation, and programming for the multiple scenarios that arise while driving is an insanely difficult task. It is easy to say follow the rules of the road, but the problem is, humans don't follow the rules of the road perfectly. Therefore, programmers need to enable SDCs to react to this. Sometimes, the computer will need to make difficult decisions and may need to make a decision that involves endangering the life of its occupants or people outside the vehicle. This is a dangerous task, but if we continue improving on the technology, we could start to see reduced road deaths, all while making taxi services drastically cheaper and freeing many people from the financial burden of purchasing a vehicle.
Tesla is in a fantastic position to gradually update their software as they master each scenario. They don't need to create the perfect SDC out of the gate, and with this latest computer, they are going to be able to continue their technological growth.
