I purchased my first EV last month - a Model Y Long Range. I've had several vehicles with adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist. I used the adaptive cruise control often, but the lane keeping assist was a parlor trick at best. In the Hondas and Mazdas I've had with that feature, it slowly oscillated from one side of the lane to the other. I was very impressed with the Model Y's ability to stay well-centered in the lane using the standard Autopilot.
Yesterday, I began using FSD beta 11.3.6 after updating to 2023.12.10. This was my first time experiencing FSD. Yesterday evening, I let it drive me from home to a local trail and back. Immediately, I noticed how jerky and uncertain it was when pulling out of my driveway onto the main road. A mile later, I had to slam on the brakes to an ABS-controlled stop after the car appeared as though it was going to drive right through a 4-way stop with a stop sign and flashing red lights at 55 MPH.
The next time I had to intervene was when I was sitting at a major intersection waiting to turn left at a red light. When the traffic lights to the right of me turned green, my car turned on the right turn signal and began turning into traffic coming up from behind, so I had to step on the brake and yank the steering wheel. The whole time, the projected path was still for a left turn from the left turn lane - I have no idea why or what it would have done had I let it (aside from getting rear-ended by a vehicle to my right).
The drive home was slightly less dramatic.
This morning, I let it drive me from home to work. This time, it stopped at the 4-way stop, but I had a right turn instead of going straight ahead. Multiple times I had to press the accelerator pedal as the car appeared very "timid" for no apparent reason and I could tell that traffic behind me was confused and frustrated. I noticed that it would also wait until the last moment and brake hard when coming to a stop whereas I would anticipate stops and begin slowing down hundreds of feet earlier.
I've been a tech geek all my life - first among my friends and family to have a computer, cell phone, and now an EV. I've had years of experience with "driver assist" features. I'm an engineer by day and spent a few years as an automotive journalist.
Based on my first hour with Tesla's FSD beta, I can't imagine how this is even allowed on public roads. It seems nowhere near ready. I've watched hundreds of videos demonstrating FSD, but based on my preliminary experience, I'm convinced those are cherry-picked examples where little to no intervention is required. Just in my first hour, I had to intervene nearly a dozen times.
Perhaps it's because I travel in rural and suburban areas where Teslas are extremely rare, so the system has no "training" here? As it stands, it's not only useless, but downright dangerous. I'll pay for another month and see how it works for other drives, but I have a strong suspicion that FSD in its current form is not for me. At minimum, I'm embarrassed by how it drives and even fearful at times - and this is coming from someone who puts a lot of faith in technology.
Yesterday, I began using FSD beta 11.3.6 after updating to 2023.12.10. This was my first time experiencing FSD. Yesterday evening, I let it drive me from home to a local trail and back. Immediately, I noticed how jerky and uncertain it was when pulling out of my driveway onto the main road. A mile later, I had to slam on the brakes to an ABS-controlled stop after the car appeared as though it was going to drive right through a 4-way stop with a stop sign and flashing red lights at 55 MPH.
The next time I had to intervene was when I was sitting at a major intersection waiting to turn left at a red light. When the traffic lights to the right of me turned green, my car turned on the right turn signal and began turning into traffic coming up from behind, so I had to step on the brake and yank the steering wheel. The whole time, the projected path was still for a left turn from the left turn lane - I have no idea why or what it would have done had I let it (aside from getting rear-ended by a vehicle to my right).
The drive home was slightly less dramatic.This morning, I let it drive me from home to work. This time, it stopped at the 4-way stop, but I had a right turn instead of going straight ahead. Multiple times I had to press the accelerator pedal as the car appeared very "timid" for no apparent reason and I could tell that traffic behind me was confused and frustrated. I noticed that it would also wait until the last moment and brake hard when coming to a stop whereas I would anticipate stops and begin slowing down hundreds of feet earlier.
I've been a tech geek all my life - first among my friends and family to have a computer, cell phone, and now an EV. I've had years of experience with "driver assist" features. I'm an engineer by day and spent a few years as an automotive journalist.
Based on my first hour with Tesla's FSD beta, I can't imagine how this is even allowed on public roads. It seems nowhere near ready. I've watched hundreds of videos demonstrating FSD, but based on my preliminary experience, I'm convinced those are cherry-picked examples where little to no intervention is required. Just in my first hour, I had to intervene nearly a dozen times.
Perhaps it's because I travel in rural and suburban areas where Teslas are extremely rare, so the system has no "training" here? As it stands, it's not only useless, but downright dangerous. I'll pay for another month and see how it works for other drives, but I have a strong suspicion that FSD in its current form is not for me. At minimum, I'm embarrassed by how it drives and even fearful at times - and this is coming from someone who puts a lot of faith in technology.
Are you saying it might be dangerous to let it fully drive itself? 
