Tesla’s Full Self-Driving System Fails to Show Significant Progress

Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system has shown no significant improvement in the critical metric of miles between disengagement in recent months, despite CEO Elon Musk’s claims of exponential advancements.

The average distance between critical disengagements stands at approximately 495 miles, significantly short of Tesla’s aspirational goal of 700,000 miles deemed necessary for true autonomous driving.

Since 2016, Musk has repeatedly promised that Tesla would achieve full autonomy, asserting that all vehicles produced during this period possess the hardware required for self-driving capability.

This new strategy contrasts sharply with Tesla’s earlier ambitions for broader autonomous capabilities

Nevertheless, these promises have consistently missed their deadlines, with Musk’s latest assertion regarding FSD version 13 proving to be yet another instance of overstatement. Initial optimism suggested a 5 to 6 times increase in miles between disengagement with the new update, but data indicates it has only achieved a modest doubling, from around 200 to 400 miles.

Sources suggest that this stagnation in FSD development may arise from a strategic pivot by Tesla. The company seems to be prioritizing a geo-fenced ride-hailing service, akin to offerings from competitors like Waymo, rather than working towards the long-promised unsupervised autonomous vehicles.

This shift signals a significant change in Tesla’s approach to self-driving technology, which many industry watchers found surprising given the previous trajectory of self-driving goals.

This new strategy, focusing on a limited internal fleet operating in designated areas, contrasts sharply with Tesla’s earlier ambitions for broader autonomous capabilities.

Musk’s track record of lofty promises has created skepticism, and while this pivot could offer short-term victories, it raises concerns about Tesla’s long-term commitments to fully autonomous vehicles, leaving many Tesla owners questioning the legitimacy of the company’s claims. The auto community will continue to monitor these developments closely.