What are the advantages of programming using C++ when developing software for autonomous vehicles?

"I am aware that C is the programming language that is one of the more commonly used to program the onboard systems of autonomous vehicles, like those developed here at Tesla. I believe it is popular because it allows developers to program at a low level. This ensures that there is no surplus code that might make the program run slower or take up too much space. C also allows for easy manipulation of computer memory, which results in fast, effective, and reliable code."