What Musk means by “basic functionality” is unclear but it’s likely that the system will require a lengthy testing and refining period before it can be used in customers’ cars. As a result, GlobalData doesn’t expect the deployment of level 5 fully self-driving vehicles to deviate from its current timeline. Currently, forecasts show level 5 vehicles beginning to appear in very low volumes in 2024 with an equally slow ramp-up to around half-a-million level 5 vehicles produced in 2030. It is likely that these vehicles won’t be consumer-owned but, instead, will be part of large robotaxi fleets because they are more easily able to absorb the high purchase price of level 5 vehicles.