Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) tech might be under scrutiny from several angles, but the automaker is pushing forward with a plan to bring the system out of beta and into the mainstream. The latest FSD release, version 12, included a name change for the feature, from Full Self-Driving Beta to Full Self-Driving (Supervised), but Tesla’s lack of a public relations department means we don’t have much to go on outside of the name.
The move seems to be motivated, at least in part, by the criticism leveled at Tesla for its branding of the tech. The chair of the NTSB, Jennifer Homendy, said the FSD name is “misleading and irresponsible,” and at least one state has filed complaints for false advertisement.
The automaker’s FSD language appears to take steps to address those concerns. Tesla’s website states, “The currently enabled features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous. The activation and use of these features are dependent on achieving reliability far in excess of human drivers as demonstrated by billions of miles of experience, as well as regulatory approval, which may take longer in some jurisdictions. As these self-driving features evolve, your car will be continuously upgraded through software features.”
Regulatory scrutiny or not, Tesla is poised to broaden the reach of FSD. It recently rolled out a new trial program that enables the tech in every capable vehicle with a one-month free trial.
[Image: Shutterstock]
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