I don't think we will see a legitimate L5 automation in our lifetimes. Take my 1.5 mile journey to do the morning school run, in a small UK town:
- Getting off the driveway, there is a wall that creates a blind spot behind it, often other parents are walking small kids who are shorter than that wall. I can't see behind it. I check down the street as I get into the car, watch for subtle reflections, and aware that an adult further down the road may have a kid closer by on a small bike.
- Turning out the end of the road, there are parked cars blocking my view, it's safer to stop slightly further back as you can see slightly better.
- Another turning onto a busy road, at rush hour you can't get out without a considerate driver pausing and waving you out.
- Cross roads that is slightly out of alignment. The collision avoidance on my Audi often incorrectly triggers braking thinking that we are going to have a head on crash.
- Delivery vans blocking a lane, heavy on coming traffic. Considerate delivers on the other side flashing to let you around.
- A right hand turn (uk driving on left). It's better to pull slightly across the centre line letting people going straight on pass on the left, while you wait for a gap across the road. Plenty of space even for the largest trucks on the other side when you do this. Keeps traffic moving and everyone happy.
- Another right turn, no road markings and 4! different exits off the road in under 8m. Often blocked by cars so have to go further forward by a car length and double back.
- School car park! Children walking everywhere, large cars, teenagers who have just passed their driving test, parents dropping their kids out in the middle of a moving queue.
I just don't think it's possible for AI FSD to understand the nuance of all that.
(Yes, a 1.5 mile journey to school, we should be walking)