OpenAI's Astra model has become the first large language model to pass a driving test, but the milestone is more modest than it sounds. According to The Register, the test took place in a parking lot at a snail's pace, and the effort was carried out at considerable expense.
Despite the constrained conditions, the result still counts for something. It shows that an LLM can handle the basic requirements of a driving exam, even if it has not yet proven itself on open roads or in complex traffic. The Register notes that the achievement is meaningful as a proof of concept, though it falls far short of full autonomous driving capability.
The high cost and slow speed raise questions about the practical path from this test to real-world deployment. Still, being the first LLM to pass any driving test gives OpenAI a data point—and a talking point—in the race toward AI-driven vehicles.