JAKARTA – Tesla has tested the latest beta version of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software with early access customers. However this feature is only for 'good drivers.' Full details haven't been given yet, however, in a series of replies via Twitter, CEO Elon Musk has revealed a plethora of information about who may be eligible and why the feature is being restricted.
Tesla's long-term plan is to eliminate the need for human drivers entirely, and make its fleet of vehicles autonomous. The hope is that this will make travel much safer for Tesla passengers as well as the vehicles and pedestrians in the vicinity.
There have been several attempts to automate driving on public roads and most have been limited to small test areas, such as the Waymo taxi service in Phoenix, Arizona. Tesla stands out for its wide release, making its autopilot software available on hundreds of thousands of vehicles.
Tesla's FSD 10 beta is said to bring significant improvements over the previous update, but Musk also tweeted that the latest 10.1 version will only be available to 'good drivers.'
Will everyone get the beta right away or about how many upon beta request button?
— Ivan Escobosa (@IvanEscobosa) September 17, 2021
The plan, though, is to give Tesla owners an FSD request button and when tapping the touchscreen, a seven-day rating period will begin. If a driver qualifies as a 'good driver' according to Tesla's insurance calculator, the owner will be able to install the latest updates. Of course, this raises some questions and a bit of anger from customers who have paid for FSD services.
Some have questioned why Tesla's more advanced Full Self-Driving software, which uses advanced computer training simulations to prepare car computers for various worst-case scenarios, would be limited to certain drivers.
A fair point can be made that bad drivers really need extra help and might benefit more from a sophisticated automated system. But Musk maintains that the new software is so subtle that it might lull less alert drivers into complacency. Even Tesla's newest and best systems can still make mistakes that can endanger lives and cause damage to valuable property.
Musk stated that with more than 2,000 users of the FSD beta software, there have been almost no accidents in the past year. This statement does not qualify, so it should be taken with a degree of skepticism. However, this could be used to further explain Tesla's reasons behind the latest rollout restrictions. As it approaches what may be a critical testing phase, the company is trying to be more cautious than usual and prevent bad comments from the press that could hinder its future actions.
Tesla's Full Self-Driving is much better, but not perfect. That means drivers need to be attentive and able to react quickly to potentially dangerous situations. While this won't be a popular decision for anyone being turned down, it might prevent an unpleasant incident that could significantly delay the program.
Tesla's FSD request button is expected to be available on September 24, 2021, if Musk's forecasts are good, and it will be interesting to see how many Tesla owners qualify as good drivers and how many will have to wait.
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