What are some common misconceptions in the AV industry?

From competing technical approaches to autonomous driving, differing driving styles, and questions around mass-market viability, misleading narratives can circulate fast. This blog lays out what we see as common misconceptions in the industry and aims to bring clarity in this rapidly evolving field.  

Question: Is there a single “correct” AI approach for autonomous driving? 

• Myth: There is a single AI approach for AVs 

• Fact: There's a lot of value in a blended approach. Artificial intelligence is at the core of certain advanced ADAS features and autonomous driving technologies. However, as technology evolves, so does the debate around which approach serves autonomous driving.  

One school of thought is that AI needs direct, raw sensor inputs and data (like camera or radar data) to learn driving functions. One such approach is end-to-end AI. This means that the more data that is fed into the system, the better the result. This approach to AI has the potential to enable highly adaptive and human-like driving behavior when trained on large volumes of diverse driving data. However, it also comes with challenges, as the decision-making process can be difficult to interpret, validate, or modify, complicating deployment across different geographies and regulatory frameworks.  

Others adopt a modular, or “compound AI,” architecture that separates perception, decision-making, and planning into distinct layers. When designed for safety and predictability, this redundancy-based approach tends to align more naturally with regulatory requirements.  

In this way, Mobileye’s compound AI approach breaks autonomy into clearly defined components, with modular design, multiple independent sensing modalities, and layered redundancy, while utilizing the right tool and optimizing each discrete task. The result is AI behavior that remains explainable, tunable, and designed for validation.  

Question: Do all autonomous vehicles drive the same? 

• Myth: There is no distinction between AVs 

• Fact: Driving behavior can be customized and tuned, allowing carmakers to reflect brand identity, regional driving styles, and design intent 

Not all AVs are created equal, nor should they be. While core functions of autonomous driving like safety and traffic law compliance are foundational, autonomous driving policy shapes how a vehicle behaves in real-world scenarios. AVs and hands-free systems are expected to not only smoothly stop at a red light or navigate on a highway, but they should also reflect brand personality and local driving culture.

The way a vehicle drives can and should represent a brand’s signature style, as some might design frequent lane changes, others might prioritize smoother merging, or opt for more assertive driving in dense traffic while adhering to regulatory requirements and end-user expectations.

Some car makers might believe that they must develop AV technology and driving policy in-house in order to have control over the driving experience. However, by doing so, they might risk missing their time-to market expectations and require a higher investment. Mobileye DXP™ bridges that gap, allowing automakers to fine-tune key aspects of the driving experience, while leveraging Mobileye’s modular and scalable stack, making it possible for OEMs to develop advanced functions fast.  

Question: Is hands-off driving only for luxury vehicles? 

• Myth: High-level autonomy is not available for everyday cars.  

• Fact: Hands-off capabilities are scaling into mass-market models. 

The belief that hands-off driving is limited to premium vehicles is increasingly becoming outdated. As ADAS technologies evolve and consumer expectations grow, autonomous experiences are entering volume-production platforms, becoming more mainstream and meeting the rising need for safety, comfort and convenience.

According to a report by IDTechEx, the global market for L2+ functionalities could reach US$17.98 billion by 2045, driven by both premium and mass-market adoption and the rise of hands-free driving features. This growth is fueled, among other things, by regulatory changes, product readiness, advancements in computer vision and sensing technologies, and AI scalability and performance. 

Mass-market vehicles equipped with hands-off capabilities for supported highway conditions are becoming more common. We see this with Mobileye's recent collaboration with Volkswagen Group and Valeo. The Mobileye Surround ADAS™ platform, powered by the EyeQ™6 High, offers features like hands-off highway driving in specific conditions on approved highway sections, hazard detection, and traffic jam assist, delivering a premium-grade experience at mass-production scale.