Will Humans Still Enjoy Being Driven? Autonomous Driving in 2025

Will Humans still derive joy in being driven? Autonomous driving is here to stay.

It’s July 2025, and the world of autonomous driving is buzzing! Companies like Huawei, Tesla, and BYD are all pushing forward with their self-driving tech. But as more cars become autonomous, it really makes you think… how will they “talk” to each other on the road? Like how we humans might wave hello in a parking lot, will these cars have their own digital handshake? And is there a master brain out there connecting all these different brands, across continents?

Right now, we don’t have one big central system for all autonomous cars globally. Each company develops its own, like Tesla with its Full Self-Driving (FSD) and Huawei with its advanced ADS. While Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication is a huge area of development, allowing cars to share real-time data on speed and location, it’s not a universal language yet across all manufacturers.

So, where are we with these big players?

• Tesla: Their “Full Self-Driving (Supervised)” is expanding, with testing now happening in more European countries like Spain. Remember, “Supervised” means a driver still needs to be ready to take over. While exact numbers are hard to pinpoint for FSD use, Tesla produced over 410,000 vehicles in Q2 2025, and many of these have FSD capabilities. It’s a journey, not a destination, for full autonomy.

• Huawei: They are gaining serious traction, especially in China, with an estimated 500,000 cars equipped with their tech expected on the roads by year-end (based on 2024 estimates). They’re focusing on intelligent driving functionalities and even partnering with carmakers like Toyota.

• BYD: They’re making a big move by rolling out advanced autonomous driving tech across their entire vehicle range in 2025, even in their more affordable models. They see high-level smart driving as essential, like seatbelts! As of May 2025, BYD is producing hundreds of thousands of New Energy Vehicles monthly, many with these new autonomous features.

Safety and Rules of the Road:

Safety is paramount. Regulations are still evolving globally. In the US, for example, NHTSA is continually updating its reporting requirements for crashes involving advanced driver-assistance systems. Companies like Waymo (notably, a leader in Robotaxi deployment) have reported hundreds of incidents, though data suggests their Robotaxis are safer in many scenarios than human drivers, with significantly fewer injury crashes. It’s a complex picture, and governments are still working on comprehensive autonomous governance to ensure these cars are safe for everyone.

Fun and the Future:

Cars used to be all about the joy of driving. Will we find new “fun” in being driven? Imagine catching up on work, watching a movie, or just relaxing on your commute!

And what about the human drivers, especially with Tesla’s “Cybercab” robotaxis planned for volume production in 2026? The industry is looking at shifts, not necessarily elimination, with new roles in supervision, maintenance, and fleet management emerging.

 

Finally, the big question: will these intelligent cars understand us? Can a robotaxi sense a pregnant woman needing a smoother ride, a child who needs extra care, or a sick adult? This kind of nuanced human understanding is a huge area of AI development for autonomous vehicles, moving beyond just driving to truly caring for passengers. We’re certainly not there yet, but it’s a fascinating challenge for the future.