Photo: @chazman via Twitter
Despite the noise on Twitter, Elon Musk is still interested in the FSD software progress. In a recent reply, the outspoken CEO said that the next iteration of the software would feature many small improvements, aiming for stability before public release.
No Tesla product was launched on time as advertised, and all of them saw delays and drama, prompting many people to wonder if Tesla could deliver on its promises. People lament the Cybertruck delays now because this is the most anticipated launch of the past years, but other Tesla products have taken even more time to mature. The best example is the Tesla Full Self-Driving suite, the one product promised from the Tesla beginnings without a precise launch date in sight even now.
Instead, the FSD software has been offered in Beta to selected customers in North America, promising to be ready for wide rollout “sometime next year.” The “forever-beta” stage has made some people angry. However, those included in the beta program swear by the FSD software, saying it is already capable of driving without human supervision. This is, of course, not true, as no software is able to, and some high-profile crashes have tragically proved this.
Moreover, Tesla customers outside North America don’t even get the chance to test the beta software, even though they paid for the FSD capability. Although Tesla is said to be testing the software in Europe, there’s no prediction about a release date. In the meantime, those who paid for the FSD capability might consider changing their cars, especially considering the recent price cuts. Since the FSD software is tied to the vehicle, money would be lost if the car is sold or totaled in a crash.
Nevertheless, for those lucky to get accepted into the FSD Beta program, Elon Musk shared exciting news on Twitter. According to his post, the V11.3 of the software will add many small improvements as soon as this week, “next week at the latest.” Knowing Musk and his promises, we’d take that with a grain of salt, but the details offered are more important than the timeframe Musk offered.
The most important information is that Tesla will begin to use neural nets for vehicle navigation and control instead of just vision. Currently, Tesla uses neural networks to map a vehicle’s surroundings and figure out the object around the car and their projected trajectories. Nevertheless, plotting the path around these objects and controlling the vehicle is still coded the traditional way. Although laconic, Musk’s message implies that Tesla would now use machine-learning techniques to determine the best course of action for the vehicle in various situations.
Although not guaranteed, transitioning to neural nets for vehicle navigation and control is expected to improve vehicle behavior. The new software version will also introduce new features to the FSD Beta software, like Reverse Creep and Navigation without Data & GPS. The former would allow a Tesla to automatically go into reverse to clear an intersection or adjust the trajectory. Currently, a Tesla running FSD Beta can only go forward.
Navigation without map data and GPS would allow FSD Beta to find its way into underground parking garages. Similar to how airplanes can find their way using inertial measurements, Tesla could use the last known position, compass, wheel movement, and speed to determine its position at any given time.
Instead, the FSD software has been offered in Beta to selected customers in North America, promising to be ready for wide rollout “sometime next year.” The “forever-beta” stage has made some people angry. However, those included in the beta program swear by the FSD software, saying it is already capable of driving without human supervision. This is, of course, not true, as no software is able to, and some high-profile crashes have tragically proved this.
Moreover, Tesla customers outside North America don’t even get the chance to test the beta software, even though they paid for the FSD capability. Although Tesla is said to be testing the software in Europe, there’s no prediction about a release date. In the meantime, those who paid for the FSD capability might consider changing their cars, especially considering the recent price cuts. Since the FSD software is tied to the vehicle, money would be lost if the car is sold or totaled in a crash.
Nevertheless, for those lucky to get accepted into the FSD Beta program, Elon Musk shared exciting news on Twitter. According to his post, the V11.3 of the software will add many small improvements as soon as this week, “next week at the latest.” Knowing Musk and his promises, we’d take that with a grain of salt, but the details offered are more important than the timeframe Musk offered.
The most important information is that Tesla will begin to use neural nets for vehicle navigation and control instead of just vision. Currently, Tesla uses neural networks to map a vehicle’s surroundings and figure out the object around the car and their projected trajectories. Nevertheless, plotting the path around these objects and controlling the vehicle is still coded the traditional way. Although laconic, Musk’s message implies that Tesla would now use machine-learning techniques to determine the best course of action for the vehicle in various situations.
Although not guaranteed, transitioning to neural nets for vehicle navigation and control is expected to improve vehicle behavior. The new software version will also introduce new features to the FSD Beta software, like Reverse Creep and Navigation without Data & GPS. The former would allow a Tesla to automatically go into reverse to clear an intersection or adjust the trajectory. Currently, a Tesla running FSD Beta can only go forward.
Navigation without map data and GPS would allow FSD Beta to find its way into underground parking garages. Similar to how airplanes can find their way using inertial measurements, Tesla could use the last known position, compass, wheel movement, and speed to determine its position at any given time.
Many small things. We’re starting to make use of neural nets for vehicle navigation & control, not just vision.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 14, 2023
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