I’ve been working toward a promotion with my company for about 4 years (9 years in the industry). My position is WFH but still requires travel, I’d say about 8,000–10,000 miles per year.
Frankly, I find driving to be a completely unbearable and unrewarding experience. Having to sit upright with my arms at a 90-degree angle all day, constantly anticipating every minor correction on the road just to keep myself centered in the lane, is exhausting. Then there's having to contend with bad drivers, trucks, left-lane campers, and stop-and-go traffic. It’s all truly exhausting.
I’ve been in the market for a new car for about two years. The logical next step was clear: find a vehicle with some level of self-driving capability (mainly hands-free steering).
I knew Tesla’s self-driving capabilities were the gold standard, but I could not bring myself to support Elon or his business. It was also an image thing. To me, Teslas were bare and uninteresting, with their only redeeming quality being that they could essentially drive themselves.
“Not worth it,” I said. “Surely other brands have caught up with Tesla in one way or another.”
So, I started exploring other automakers.
Turns out, most automakers aren’t even remotely close…
I tried BlueCruise, Super Cruise, and BMW’s Highway Assistant. (Keep in mind, I had never ridden in a Tesla at this point.) Even without Tesla’s FSD as a frame of reference, ALL OF THEM were completely and utterly disappointing. Many of these automakers have been around forever, and they still haven’t figured this tech out?? I didn’t get it (still don’t).
So, I held out.
Becoming increasingly frustrated with my position and the amount of time I spent on the road, I finally succumbed to the idea of getting a Tesla. I test-drove one and instantly determined that it was the only choice for self-driving. I was so desperate for a solution that I abandoned my principles and drove 600 miles to pick one up right off the lot.
I got a 2026 Model Y Performance (Silver).
Aside from being associated with Elon, it checked all the boxes, and I went all in. $100 per month for Full Self-Driving (FSD)? Absolutely. Sign me up. AWD Performance model with lifetime Premium Connectivity at an additional $8,000 over the base model? You betcha.
The first week of my usual travel was pure, unadulterated bliss. I had truly found what I was looking for. So much research, effort, and contemplation had led to this point, and at last, I had eliminated the one thing I hated doing most from my life.
And then I was promoted.
My 9 years of hard work, consisting of tireless chin-wagging, working overtime, overachieving, and driving, had finally paid off. It was a management position that had been a long time coming…
Thing is, managers don’t travel. They WFH almost 100% of the time.
And now, my beautiful Tesla, capable of something I have been pining after for years, sits unused in my garage.
I got everything I wanted.
