The first self-driving vehicle on Mars has proven to be a smashing success
Summary
The article reports NASA's Perseverance rover driving autonomously for about 90% of its distance, aiming to exceed 45.16 km and beat the Opportunity record. It explains the onboard Vision Compute Element and advanced imaging that enable autonomous navigation, contrasts with Curiosity's slower autonomous capability, and notes wheel design improvements and RTG power supporting long-term missions. The piece frames autonomous driving as a driver of scientific return and longer mission lifespans for Mars rovers.