Photo: Tesla
The Tesla FSD Beta program is live in North America only, with other global markets planned at an unspecified time. It seems like the next region to get the FSD software is Europe, as revealed by new job openings for “ADAS test operators.”
Tesla asks a lot of money for what it calls “Full Self-Driving Capability” on its cars, although the feature is not yet ready. In the United States, it costs $15,000 and is at least available to a relatively small group of beta testers. Nevertheless, Tesla owners in Europe cannot use the feature they’ve been paying for. It still costs 7,500 euros to add to new cars, a steep price for having traffic lights and stop sign recognition on top of what Enhanced Autopilot already offers.
The FSD capability is having other problems besides not being available at the moment. For instance, it’s tied to the vehicle, which means that if you sell it or replace it for whatever reason, you need to pay again for the same feature. This makes people pay pretty money for a feature they might never use. Some may argue that this money would be recouped when selling the car. Some even see it as an investment, arguing that the FSD capability would likely cost more than they paid for it. Nevertheless, crash the car, and there goes your investment.
Thankfully, Tesla hinted that the FSD Beta program would open up to customers in other regions. This raises hopes that at least some of those who paid for the feature would get to test it. Europe is expected to be among the first regions outside North America. However, the traffic rules vary across the continent, which makes implementing the feature more difficult than it is in the U.S. Certainly, Tesla would need a lot of testing to adjust the system to the different rules and regulations in the 27 countries of the European Union.
Tesla acknowledges this and is already hiring “ADAS test operators” in three European countries: Switzerland, Finland, and Denmark. The job listing description mentions “testing for all current and future Autopilot features on the path to full self-driving.”
“The ADAS Test Operator will be responsible to identify improvements and regressions across software iterations,” writes the job description. “A strong candidate will be objectively focused when making judgments, highly organized with great attention to detail, and a self-starter. This role could require the flexibility of traveling to domestic and international destinations as necessary to test vehicles on public roads, test tracks, and proving grounds.”
Elon Musk promised that the FSD Beta program would open to European customers “around summer 2022,” at least for the left-hand drive markets. Of course, like every one of Musk’s promises, this should also be taken with a grain of salt. An FSD rollout in Europe is highly dependent on regulatory approval, and the European Union is notoriously reluctant to approve anything it perceives as dangerous. If you’re asking, we’re sure the EU knows about FSD struggles and controversies in the U.S., so it should not go lightly on Tesla.
The FSD capability is having other problems besides not being available at the moment. For instance, it’s tied to the vehicle, which means that if you sell it or replace it for whatever reason, you need to pay again for the same feature. This makes people pay pretty money for a feature they might never use. Some may argue that this money would be recouped when selling the car. Some even see it as an investment, arguing that the FSD capability would likely cost more than they paid for it. Nevertheless, crash the car, and there goes your investment.
Thankfully, Tesla hinted that the FSD Beta program would open up to customers in other regions. This raises hopes that at least some of those who paid for the feature would get to test it. Europe is expected to be among the first regions outside North America. However, the traffic rules vary across the continent, which makes implementing the feature more difficult than it is in the U.S. Certainly, Tesla would need a lot of testing to adjust the system to the different rules and regulations in the 27 countries of the European Union.
Tesla acknowledges this and is already hiring “ADAS test operators” in three European countries: Switzerland, Finland, and Denmark. The job listing description mentions “testing for all current and future Autopilot features on the path to full self-driving.”
“The ADAS Test Operator will be responsible to identify improvements and regressions across software iterations,” writes the job description. “A strong candidate will be objectively focused when making judgments, highly organized with great attention to detail, and a self-starter. This role could require the flexibility of traveling to domestic and international destinations as necessary to test vehicles on public roads, test tracks, and proving grounds.”
Elon Musk promised that the FSD Beta program would open to European customers “around summer 2022,” at least for the left-hand drive markets. Of course, like every one of Musk’s promises, this should also be taken with a grain of salt. An FSD rollout in Europe is highly dependent on regulatory approval, and the European Union is notoriously reluctant to approve anything it perceives as dangerous. If you’re asking, we’re sure the EU knows about FSD struggles and controversies in the U.S., so it should not go lightly on Tesla.
Google News