Tesla has been working on its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system for several years now, with the ultimate goal of creating a fully autonomous vehicle that can operate without human intervention.
As part of its development, the company has been releasing incremental updates to its FSD Beta program, which allows select drivers to test the system on public roads and provide feedback.
On March 8th, 2023, Tesla released its latest update, FSD Beta 11.3.1, which has received positive reviews from veteran testers who have been using the system since October 2020.
According to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, this update is the first to use a single-stack architecture that combines both vision and planning into one neural network. This integration should enhance the system’s reliability and performance.
FSD Beta 11.3.1 offers several new features and visualizations, including improved handling of congested traffic, smoother transitions between city streets and highways, and more accurate recognition of pedestrians, cyclists, animals, traffic lights, signs, and road markings.
Testers have praised the system for being smooth, assertive, quick, and selecting the optimal lane in different situations. However, some areas for improvement have been identified, such as reducing the gap between cars in assertive mode and handling complex intersections more confidently.
Overall, FSD Beta 11.3.1 is a significant step forward for Tesla’s self-driving technology and a testament to the company’s progress in achieving full autonomy. Nevertheless, drivers are cautioned that the system remains a work in progress and requires constant attention.
Tesla warns that the system may “do the wrong thing at the worst time” and advises drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and be ready to take over at any moment.
Tesla plans to release more updates to its FSD Beta program in the future, with the aim of expanding its availability to more drivers. The company also plans to launch its Robotaxi service by 2024, which would allow owners to share their self-driving cars with others and earn money from ridesharing.
