Tesla Inc. executive Wes Morrill recently expressed his concerns over the company’s full self-driving (FSD) driver assistance technology, specifically regarding its social etiquette. Despite the technology’s notable advances, Morrill stated that he continues to have complaints about its behavior in certain situations.
Advances in FSD Technology
Morrill noted that FSD is now driving with minimal intervention, but he still encounters issues with social etiquette, such as:
- Waiting too long at four-way stops
- Not accelerating quickly enough at highway on-ramps
- Occasionally encountering weird situations where he expects to intervene, but FSD handles them gracefully
FSD’s Current Limitations
FSD is an advanced driver assistance system that enables hands-off driving, but it still requires active driver supervision. The system can perform automatic lane changes, among other features, but it is not yet fully autonomous. Morrill emphasized that FSD is learning and improving, but it still needs supervision, with longer intervals between interventions.
Regulatory Scrutiny
FSD has also been under regulatory scrutiny, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opening a probe into approximately 2.6 million Tesla vehicles equipped with the technology. The investigation follows a complaint alleging that the use of Tesla’s “Actually Smart Summon” feature led to a crash.
Future of FSD
Tesla is optimistic that FSD will enable vehicle autonomy in future software versions. However, as of now, it is yet to make vehicles wholly autonomous. Morrill’s comments highlight the ongoing efforts to improve FSD’s capabilities and address concerns about its social etiquette.
Key Takeaways
- FSD is making notable advances, but still requires supervision
- Social etiquette issues, such as waiting too long at four-way stops, remain a concern
- Regulatory scrutiny is ongoing, with NHTSA investigating FSD-equipped vehicles
- Tesla is working towards enabling vehicle autonomy in future software versions