openpilot has been cited to offer a "natural" and human-like driving experience,[8] and reviewed favorably for its ease of use and driver engagement.

[7] As of May 2024, openpilot holds the record for the shortest time in a semi-autonomous, coast-to-coast drive across the U.S.[12][13] comma.ai Inc was founded in September 2015 by George Hotz.

[14] The first version of openpilot was revealed a few months later in a Bloomberg article, showing functionality on a 2016 Acura ILX.

[15] The video and article instigated a cease and desist letter from the California Department of Motor Vehicles, claiming comma.ai was testing a self-driving car without a license.

[16] On October 27, 2016, NHTSA issued a Special Order to comma.ai demanding detailed information about the comma one, to determine if the device complies with legally required Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

[21][22][23] In November 2020, Consumer Reports ranked openpilot above all other advanced driver-assistance systems on the market, including Tesla's Autopilot, Cadillac's Super Cruise and Ford's Co-pilot 360.

In particular, openpilot's performance in the areas of driver engagement and ease of use scored better than all other systems evaluated by Consumer Reports.

[25] In January 2023, The Verge found openpilot-based driving-assist technology to be better than that from legacy car manufacturers, delivering more "natural" and human-like driving experience.

If the driver is distracted for more than six seconds, openpilot decelerates the vehicle to a stop, and audibly alerts the user.