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Tesla Officially Calls FSD Beta a "Level 2 Driver Support Feature," Pauses Deployment

Tesla issued a voluntary recall of the FSD Beta software while working to iron out the issues raised by NHTSA. Until a fix is available, Tesla will pause the rollout of FSD Beta to owners who have not yet received it. In a new document, Tesla officially calls the FSD Beta a "Level 2 driver support feature."
Tesla officially calls FSD Beta a "Level 2 driver support feature" 7 photos
Photo: @timeparadis via Twitter | Edited
First Tesla FSD Beta V11.3 driving videos reveal new graphicsFirst Tesla FSD Beta V11.3 driving videos reveal new graphicsFirst Tesla FSD Beta V11.3 driving videos reveal new graphicsFirst Tesla FSD Beta V11.3 driving videos reveal new graphicsFirst Tesla FSD Beta V11.3 driving videos reveal new graphicsFirst Tesla FSD Beta V11.3 driving videos reveal new graphics
From the early days, Tesla's FSD Beta software has been involved in controversies. There were several accidents involving Tesla cars, and, in several cases, there were indications that either Autopilot or FSD Beta was engaged at the time of the crash. This has evolved into FSD being blamed every time a Tesla is involved in a collision. Even though this is not always the case, Tesla's FSD Beta is the subject of several investigations from regulators, including the NHTSA.

An ongoing NHTSA investigation revealed that the software might "infringe upon local traffic laws or customs" while driving the car in specific conditions. These include traveling through an intersection during a stale yellow traffic light, failing to stop completely at a stop sign, or traveling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane. The NHTSA shared its concerns with Tesla, and the EV maker issued a voluntary recall of the FSD Beta software "out of an abundance of caution."

A heated debate erupted among Tesla fans about the meaning of the "recall" word, considering that Tesla proposed an OTA update to fix these issues. This is less important, as Tesla has updated its webpage to explain to owners what the recall means and how they are affected. The page contains an FAQ that reveals interesting details, making it Tesla's best response so far to such a controversial issue.

The first thing hitting us in the face was that Tesla, for the first time, admitted that the FSD Beta is just an SAE Level 2 driver assist system. If you follow Tesla-related channels on social media, you know there is a public outcry over using this terminology. Nevertheless, the FAQ is written using legal wording, a sign that Tesla treats it as a legal issue. If there's one thing clear is that, for the first time, Tesla cuts the bullshit and straightens things up.

"With FSD Beta, as with all SAE Level 2 driver support features, the driver is responsible for operation of the vehicle whenever the feature is engaged and must constantly supervise the feature and intervene (e.g., steer, brake or accelerate) as needed to maintain safe operation of the vehicle," writes the FAQ.

It couldn't be clearer than that, and Tesla does a great job telling people they should not rely on the FSD Beta software to know what it's doing in all situations. It further suggests that the software might be unsafe to drive, increasing the risk of a collision if the driver does not intervene.

The document also clarifies that Tesla will not remove the FSD Beta from the cars it was deployed to. Still, no new users will be enrolled in the program until the software fix becomes available. This is why people who opted in have not yet received the FSD Beta access in the past month. It could also be a reason why the FSD Beta V11 was not yet released to the wider Tesla fleet.
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About the author: Cristian Agatie
Cristian Agatie profile photo

After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions.
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