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Air + DreamDrive Pro: Were We Left Behind?

Stevie Bee

Stevie Bee

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Lucid Air Touring
Yesterday’s Investor Day left me with a pretty troubling question as an Air owner who paid for DreamDrive Pro.

From what I heard, Lucid discussed a roadmap that seems to move well beyond today’s freeway hands-free capability — toward hands-free city driving, then Level 3, and eventually Level 4 — but the vehicles specifically mentioned appeared to be Gravity and the upcoming midsize platform, including Cosmos. I did not hear the Air mentioned in that part of the roadmap.

If that’s correct, it’s very disappointing.

Many of us bought DreamDrive Pro with the understanding that the Air’s hardware stack was built for meaningful advancement over time. The car has a very substantial 32-sensor suite — cameras, radar, ultrasonic sensors, and LiDAR — and I think it was reasonable for owners to expect progress beyond hands-free highway driving.

So I’m hoping to get to the bottom of two things:
  1. Did Lucid explicitly leave the Air out of the future autonomy roadmap?
  2. If so, what does that mean for Air owners who paid for DreamDrive Pro expecting the platform to continue to evolve?
To try to get clarity directly, I emailed Kay Stepper, who leads Autonomy, and Nick Twork, who handles communications. If I hear back, I’ll report anything I can share.

I want to be fair here: maybe I missed something, or maybe Lucid intends to clarify that Air will also benefit from some or all of these future autonomy advances. But if the Investor Day message was effectively that Gravity and Cosmos are the path forward for advanced autonomy while Air is not, then I think Lucid owes Air owners a clear explanation.

At a minimum, owners deserve transparency on:
  • what DreamDrive Pro on Air will still receive,
  • what it will not receive,
  • and whether Lucid still considers the Air hardware platform capable of the autonomy progression being discussed publicly.
I’d really like to hear from others who watched the presentation. Did you come away with the same impression, or did I miss an Air-specific commitment somewhere?
 
Will be interesting what you hear back but shortly after CES many were asking similar questions about L2++ coming to Air and Nick said the hardware wasn't capable. Given what Lucid sold at the launch of DreamDrive Pro (Highway Pilot was technically supposed to be L3 I believe) and subsequently charged $10K for it, I do think they owe owners an explanation to what's going on.

In Lucid's defense, the autonomous stuff for Air was highway focused, even when they were promoting L3 in the early days. It was never going to do city streets so I guess the only thing that's really missing from the Air is eyes off highway driving (L3). I think many of us assumed it was going to evolve more than what Lucid had ever anticipated for it.
 
I didn't watch the presentation, but I did take a look at their software roadmap. Like you, I’m a bit disappointed with what was shown on the slides.

As an owner of an AT with DDPro, I was hoping to see a slightly stronger software offering than what was presented.

For example, take Digital Key—why can’t they implement Digital Key over the air as a replacement for the current Mobile Key?
 
BACamster said:
For example, take Digital Key—why can’t they implement Digital Key over the air as a replacement for the current Mobile Key?
Click to expand...
Because Air doesn't have the hardware to support it (UWB)
 
When I got my Air last year, I didn't really expect Level 3. But I expected at least basic Level 2 features like many other cheap cars already has got like be able to use it on any road types. Or a red or green traffic light detection. Etc...
The question is: if that promises aren't worth anything, then maybe all other future promises for gravity and the mid-size car are worthless...

The other question is: what about the next generation of Lucid Air? Will it also get the same hardware and software like the gravity to be able for L2++ city driving or will it stay behind. I like the air and my plan was to get a new Air in 2 years, but if it won't get any love, It'll be my last Lucid. I dont like SUVs or mid size cars.
 
This is not the strategy of Tesla to emulate unless they want a lot of unhappy customers.
 
Basically Lucid is charging $6750 for any new Air owners for 360 cam and handsfree on highway. This is a very steep cost compared to what is being offered and the amount sensor suite it has.

I believe Lucid is not making much money on this and may be that is the reason they are making more vehicles with DDpremium now a days. But they owe some explanation to early buyers like us who spent 10k on this( may be offer some credit towards a Gravity 😜 or free DDP2 towards Gravity purchase).
 
socktucker said:
how would that be better though? The mobile key works great in my experience, if not a little hyperactive.
Click to expand...
With my Samsung S25+ and the S23+ of my wife it works that bad, we carry the key card with us. Sometimes we're waiting like 10 seconds to present the door handles, especially if the car is in sleep mode.
 
bassmaster187 said:
With my Samsung S25+ and the S23+ of my wife it works that bad, we carry the key card with us. Sometimes we're waiting like 10 seconds to present the door handles, especially if the car is in sleep mode.
Click to expand...
oh got it, im on iphone sorry. However, it does take almost a minute to wake the car up if its doesn't detect proximity.
 
HC_79 said:
Will be interesting what you hear back but shortly after CES many were asking similar questions about L2++ coming to Air and Nick said the hardware wasn't capable. Given what Lucid sold at the launch of DreamDrive Pro (Highway Pilot was technically supposed to be L3 I believe) and subsequently charged $10K for it, I do think they owe owners an explanation to what's going on.

In Lucid's defense, the autonomous stuff for Air was highway focused, even when they were promoting L3 in the early days. It was never going to do city streets so I guess the only thing that's really missing from the Air is eyes off highway driving (L3). I think many of us assumed it was going to evolve more than what Lucid had ever anticipated for it.
Click to expand...
If OpenPilot Comma.AI can provide street level driving with a device that affixes to the windshield, it's pretty shocking that Lucid (with the sh*t ton of sensors that was promoted to us to by DDP) can't do it, is pretty shocking. Rivian Gen 1 is also bailing on adding any meaningful updates to R1T/S as well and the Comma.AI device that is available for these models surpasses what Rivian can do on Gen2 (currently). Yea, I agree that it's pretty disappointing if no meaningful updates are provided for Air DDP (and no, improved self parking is not what I -- or anyone else -- is looking for)
 
bassmaster187 said:
When I got my Air last year, I didn't really expect Level 3. But I expected at least basic Level 2 features like many other cheap cars already has got like be able to use it on any road types. Or a red or green traffic light detection. Etc...
The question is: if that promises aren't worth anything
Click to expand...
What promises are those, exactly? As far as I'm aware the only Air promise that hasn't already been delivered on is V2H. City streets self driving was never a promise for Air. They teased it in some very early (before Air DEs were even delivering IIRC) marketing, but I don't think those things were ever listed as "coming soon" for Air or anything like that.

Tim-in-CA said:
If OpenPilot Comma.AI can provide street level driving with a device that affixes to the windshield, it's pretty shocking that Lucid (with the sh*t ton of sensors that was promoted to us to by DDP) can't do it, is pretty shocking
Click to expand...
I can drive with my eyes closed sometimes too. Doesn't mean it's a good idea. A DIY solution is incomparable to something sold and warrantied by an actual auto maker.
 
Tim-in-CA said:
If OpenPilot Comma.AI can provide street level driving with a device that affixes to the windshield, it's pretty shocking that Lucid (with the sh*t ton of sensors that was promoted to us to by DDP) can't do it, is pretty shocking.
Click to expand...
My 2026 Tesla Model X had AP1 which was by Mobileye, with just radar and front cameras, did more "self driving" than my Lucid Air does. So it is shocking that Lucid can't deliver. Also, early Lucid demos using MobileEye looked more capable than today's Airs
 
At launch and at least through May of 2022 when I ordered the car, Dream Drive Pro was marketed as having Level 3-ready hardware. I, perhaps foolishly, expected that it would be rolled out at some point, and I at least expect Level 2 ++.

(around 4:35--"Hands off, eyes off")

www.prnewswire.com

Lucid Motors Announces DreamDrive, an Advanced Driver-Assistance System that Debuts in the Lucid Air

/PRNewswire/ -- Lucid Motors, which seeks to set new standards for sustainable transportation with its advanced luxury EVs, today announced DreamDrive, a new...
www.prnewswire.com www.prnewswire.com

www.caranddriver.com

Lucid Air EV Will Have Lidar and Driver-Assist Systems on Board

The upcoming EV sedan will have driver monitoring and can be updated for future Level 3 semi-autonomous driving capability.
www.caranddriver.com www.caranddriver.com
 
HC_79 said:
Will be interesting what you hear back but shortly after CES many were asking similar questions about L2++ coming to Air and Nick said the hardware wasn't capable. Given what Lucid sold at the launch of DreamDrive Pro (Highway Pilot was technically supposed to be L3 I believe) and subsequently charged $10K for it, I do think they owe owners an explanation to what's going on.

In Lucid's defense, the autonomous stuff for Air was highway focused, even when they were promoting L3 in the early days. It was never going to do city streets so I guess the only thing that's really missing from the Air is eyes off highway driving (L3). I think many of us assumed it was going to evolve more than what Lucid had ever anticipated for it.
Click to expand...
If that’s true, Lucid really should explain why the Air hardware isn’t capable. On the surface, the car has an extensive sensor suite, so it’s fair for owners to wonder where the limitation actually is (The Model Y uses only 8 cameras and is way more advanced at this point). If the constraint is compute, say that. If it’s architecture, say that. If the company has simply decided not to prioritize autonomy development for Air, owners deserve to know that too.

I bought this car partly because I was comfortable being an early adopter. The tradeoff, in my mind, was that there would be some rough edges at first, but that the vehicle would improve meaningfully over time through software and feature development — and to Lucid’s credit, in many ways it has. I viewed DreamDrive Pro the same way: not just as a feature set for day one, but as an investment in a platform that would continue to get more capable as Lucid refined its autonomy stack.

If that’s no longer the plan for Air, they should be direct about it.
 
Unmutual said:
At launch and at least through May of 2022 when I ordered the car, Dream Drive Pro was marketed as having Level 3-ready hardware. I, perhaps foolishly, expected that it would be rolled out at some point, and I at least expect Level 2 ++.

(around 4:35--"Hands off, eyes off")

www.prnewswire.com

Lucid Motors Announces DreamDrive, an Advanced Driver-Assistance System that Debuts in the Lucid Air

/PRNewswire/ -- Lucid Motors, which seeks to set new standards for sustainable transportation with its advanced luxury EVs, today announced DreamDrive, a new...
www.prnewswire.com www.prnewswire.com

www.caranddriver.com

Lucid Air EV Will Have Lidar and Driver-Assist Systems on Board

The upcoming EV sedan will have driver monitoring and can be updated for future Level 3 semi-autonomous driving capability.
www.caranddriver.com www.caranddriver.com
Click to expand...
Yep ... that was my understanding as well .... looks like Lucid needs some splainin' to do!!
 
Unmutual said:
At launch and at least through May of 2022 when I ordered the car, Dream Drive Pro was marketed as having Level 3-ready hardware. I, perhaps foolishly, expected that it would be rolled out at some point, and I at least expect Level 2 ++.

(around 4:35--"Hands off, eyes off")

www.prnewswire.com

Lucid Motors Announces DreamDrive, an Advanced Driver-Assistance System that Debuts in the Lucid Air

/PRNewswire/ -- Lucid Motors, which seeks to set new standards for sustainable transportation with its advanced luxury EVs, today announced DreamDrive, a new...
www.prnewswire.com www.prnewswire.com

www.caranddriver.com

Lucid Air EV Will Have Lidar and Driver-Assist Systems on Board

The upcoming EV sedan will have driver monitoring and can be updated for future Level 3 semi-autonomous driving capability.
www.caranddriver.com www.caranddriver.com
Click to expand...
The joys of the internet. Once it's said, it never disappears. They're not the only ones that do it but when you take a chunk of cash promising you'll deliver then change your mind I don't know how that's allowed legally. Guessing there's a loophole somewhere otherwise people would be suing companies left, right and center for refunds. Tesla. took $15K at some point and they still haven't delivered on its promises.
 
Stevie Bee said:
If that’s true, Lucid really should explain why the Air hardware isn’t capable. On the surface, the car has an extensive sensor suite, so it’s fair for owners to wonder where the limitation actually is (The Model Y uses only 8 cameras and is way more advanced at this point). If the constraint is compute, say that. If it’s architecture, say that. If the company has simply decided not to prioritize autonomy development for Air, owners deserve to know that too.

I bought this car partly because I was comfortable being an early adopter. The tradeoff, in my mind, was that there would be some rough edges at first, but that the vehicle would improve meaningfully over time through software and feature development — and to Lucid’s credit, in many ways it has. I viewed DreamDrive Pro the same way: not just as a feature set for day one, but as an investment in a platform that would continue to get more capable as Lucid refined its autonomy stack.

If that’s no longer the plan for Air, they should be direct about it.
Click to expand...
To be clear. I'm not disagreeing with you or anyone who is annoyed, it sucks tbh. I do think an explanation on where owners stand with DD Pro for the Air is well overdue from Lucid. It's clear as day, in all the launch \ hype phase they promised L3 and the $10K cost was justified as a result of that promise. Would anyone have paid $10K for what's offered today? Probably not! There's a big difference promoting the crap out of something and not taking money for it, You can pull the rug whenever you want. But when you promote and take money for something then it's a whole different ball game.
 
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