WATCH: First Look At Tesla's Latest Full Self-Driving System
DEC. 31, 2023 7:35 AM ET
BY REX SANCHEZ
VIDEO
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It appears someone from Tesla leaked a demonstration ahead of the release of V12.1.
One of the testers of Tesla's new Full Self-Driving (FSD) Beta V12.1 has uploaded a video of the system in action and from what we can see the new AI-operated system appears to operate smoothly, albeit, with some caveats.
The video shows a Tesla taking a short drive around the Tesla Fremont factory. The EV was accelerating smoothly and maintaining proximity to the cars in front. It switched lanes slowly but steadily, with the automatic steering wheel movements looking more confident.
Whole Mars Catalog/YouTube
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While the leaked video shows signs of improvements, it is still not perfect. The EV took a long time to pull out to the street from a parking lot, with the driver hitting the acceleration for it to get a move on. In the system's defense, a semi-trailer truck was on the right of the car, obstructing oncoming traffic.
The EV also had an issue with speed bumps where slowing down didn't seem like an option, driving around 16 mph over them. That wasn't a good look, but remember, this was for early testers and was limited to Tesla employees only.
Whole Mars Catalog/YouTube
Compared to earlier versions, the FSD V12.1 uses a neural network-based operating system instead of the now-removed 300,000 lines of code. The new OS uses artificial intelligence to identify and understand several complex traffic situations.
The system may look more competent now than ever, but it is still an SAE Level 2 similar to Ford's Blue Cruise and the Toyota Safety Sense. As such, it still requires the driver's full attention at all times.
The upcoming production FSD V12.1 will be released to Tesla EVs, including the Cybertruck, in mid-January. With the updated version, we can only hope the automaker gets a break from the feds regarding its safety concerns.
