News
Tesla FSD Beta 10.69.2 “looking good” for weekend release + 10.69.1.1 Reviews
Elon Musk shared that Tesla FSD Beta 10.69.2’s release is still set for this weekend.
Tesla initially planned to release v10.69.2 last week but delayed the update to polish it up more. The company rolled out v.10.69.1.1 to more Beta testers instead.
Tesla FSD Beta 10.69.1.1 Reviews
A few Tesla Beta testers who received v10.69.1.1 shared their observations and thoughts about the update with Teslarati. One of the common issues Beta Testers mentioned was phantom braking.
One 2021 Model S owner, Howard, noted that his Tesla vehicle still experienced phantom braking too much. He shared that his Model S drove like a 16-year-old. “Not smooth with the wheel, throttle, or brakes,” he said.
Howard also observed that his Tesla ignored some speed signs, even if they popped up on the display. The Tesla Model S owner added that his car “still fades right into turn lanes when there is not [a] turn to be done. It then swerves to go to the last [turn] it just left.”
-->Fellow FSD Beta tester, Michael, was “a bit disappointed” with the latest update. He noted experiencing some phantom braking along the Long Island Expressway.
“Can’t seem to figure out the somewhat irregular lines in the HOV lane, which is surprising to me. Oh well….hope for better next time. Still not there, but much better than first experiences,” Michael added.
Impressions from a longtime FSD Beta Tester
FSD Beta tester Les also shared his thoughts about v.10.69.1.1 with Teslarati. Les has been an Early Access software tester since 2018. He was kind enough to break down all his observations from testing FSD Beta 10.69.1.1.
Les mentioned seeing a few issues with FSD Beta that have been around since Fall 2021. Some of the issues are listed below.
- [The] car doesn’t always stay in [the] proper turn lane when using the outer lane of a left dual turn lane scenario; 8/10 times, mid-turn, it will cross over into the inner turn lane. It has done this for me with every FSD Beta build back to October 2021.
- Inconsistent lane selection: my car will still sometimes move[s] into lanes opposite to the next upcoming turn, sometimes when close to that upcoming turn, sometimes missing the turn itself.
- Late turn signals: this is a long-standing issue many testers have reported. The turn signals [usually] activate too late when they need to activate ahead of a turn lane to alert drivers behind us.
Despite the continuing issues he observed, Les seemed to have an overall good experience with the latest update. He specifically highlighted Tesla’s work with Chuck Cook Style’s unprotected left terms which were specifically mentioned in v10.69’s release notes. Listed below are all his good observations about FSD Beta v. 10.69.1.1.
- The improvement to “Chuck Cook style” unprotected left turns with multiple lanes and medians is incredible. The car utilizes the median space very well. [It] feels like more than an improvement. It really almost feels like a feature upgrade. It’s that significant and amazing to experience.
- The car has almost no more phantom braking events for me. I never had many to begin with, certainly not as many severe events as other friends report, but I did notice the ones I had and the places they occurred no longer occurred.
- Traffic turning across my car’s path no longer triggers a cautious braking event when there’s enough room ahead. The car better recognizes the crossing vehicle’s direction and speed, and my car maintains its speed. Very human-like behavior.
- More assertive and smooth acceleration out of turns, especially when entering a higher speed road. Related: improved acceleration from stops. I like this very much, as prior builds often took too long (for my taste anyway) to get up to speed. It still could get up to speed more quickly, but there is [a] notable improvement.
- The dashcam bug has been eliminated!! The prior build would routinely crash the dashcam after I parked and/or charged, requiring either a computer reboot or removal/reinsertion of [the] dashcam thumb drive to fix. No more problems!
In general, Tesla is steadily improving FSD Beta with each update. And Testers are actively experiencing those improvements. However, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving suite still needs more work before it rolls out to the public.
Are you an FSD Beta tester? I’d like to hear your thoughts on v10.69.2! Contact me at maria@teslarati.com or via Twitter @Writer_01001101.
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News
Tesla is improving Giga Berlin’s free “Giga Train” service for employees
With this initiative, Tesla aims to boost the number of Gigafactory Berlin employees commuting by rail while keeping the shuttle free for all riders.
Tesla will expand its factory shuttle service in Germany beginning January 4, adding direct rail trips from Berlin Ostbahnhof to Giga Berlin-Brandenburg in Grünheide.
With this initiative, Tesla aims to boost the number of Gigafactory Berlin employees commuting by rail while keeping the shuttle free for all riders.
New shuttle route
As noted in a report from rbb24, the updated service, which will start January 4, will run between the Berlin Ostbahnhof East Station and the Erkner Station at the Gigafactory Berlin complex. Tesla stated that the timetable mirrors shift changes for the facility’s employees, and similar to before, the service will be completely free. The train will offer six direct trips per day as well.
“The service includes six daily trips, which also cover our shift times. The trains will run between Berlin Ostbahnhof (with a stop at Ostkreuz) and Erkner station to the Gigafactory,” Tesla Germany stated.
Even with construction continuing at Fangschleuse and Köpenick stations, the company said the route has been optimized to maintain a predictable 35-minute travel time. The update follows earlier phases of Tesla’s “Giga Train” program, which initially connected Erkner to the factory grounds before expanding to Berlin-Lichtenberg.
-->Tesla pushes for majority rail commuting
Tesla began production at Grünheide in March 2022, and the factory’s workforce has since grown to around 11,500 employees, with an estimated 60% commuting from Berlin. The facility produces the Model Y, Tesla’s best-selling vehicle, for both Germany and other territories.
The company has repeatedly emphasized its goal of having more than half its staff use public transportation rather than cars, positioning the shuttle as a key part of that initiative. In keeping with the factory’s sustainability focus, Tesla continues to allow even non-employees to ride the shuttle free of charge, making it a broader mobility option for the area.
News
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y dominate China’s real-world efficiency tests
The Tesla Model 3 posted 20.8 kWh/100 km while the Model Y followed closely at 21.8 kWh/100 km.
Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y once again led the field in a new real-world energy-consumption test conducted by China’s Autohome, outperforming numerous rival electric vehicles in controlled conditions.
The results, which placed both Teslas in the top two spots, prompted Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun to acknowledge Tesla’s efficiency advantage while noting that his company’s vehicles will continue refining its own models to close the gap.
Tesla secures top efficiency results
Autohome’s evaluation placed all vehicles under identical conditions, such as a full 375-kg load, cabin temperature fixed at 24°C on automatic climate control, and a steady cruising speed of 120 km/h. In this environment, the Tesla Model 3 posted 20.8 kWh/100 km while the Model Y followed closely at 21.8 kWh/100 km, as noted in a Sina News report.
These figures positioned Tesla’s vehicles firmly at the top of the ranking and highlighted their continued leadership in long-range efficiency. The test also highlighted how drivetrain optimization, software management, and aerodynamic profiles remain key differentiators in high-speed, cold-weather scenarios where many electric cars struggle to maintain low consumption.
Xiaomi’s Lei Jun pledges to continue learning from Tesla
Following the results, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun noted that the Xiaomi SU7 actually performed well overall but naturally consumed more energy due to its larger C-segment footprint and higher specification. He reiterated that factors such as size and weight contributed to the difference in real-world consumption compared to Tesla. Still, the executive noted that Xiaomi will continue to learn from the veteran EV maker.
“The Xiaomi SU7’s energy consumption performance is also very good; you can take a closer look. The fact that its test results are weaker than Tesla’s is partly due to objective reasons: the Xiaomi SU7 is a C-segment car, larger and with higher specifications, making it heavier and naturally increasing energy consumption. Of course, we will continue to learn from Tesla and further optimize its energy consumption performance!” Lei Jun wrote in a post on Weibo.
-->Lei Jun has repeatedly described Tesla as the global benchmark for EV efficiency, previously stating that Xiaomi may require three to five years to match its leadership. He has also been very supportive of FSD, even testing the system in the United States.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk reveals what will make Optimus’ ridiculous production targets feasible
Musk recent post suggests that Tesla has a plan to attain Optimus’ production goals.
Elon Musk subtly teased Tesla’s strategy to achieve Optimus’ insane production volume targets. The CEO has shared his predictions about Optimus’ volume, and they are so ambitious that one would mistake them for science fiction.
Musk’s recent post on X, however, suggests that Tesla has a plan to attain Optimus’ production goals.
The highest volume product
Elon Musk has been pretty clear about the idea of Optimus being Tesla’s highest-volume product. During the Tesla 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, Musk stated that the humanoid robot will see “the fastest production ramp of any product of any large complex manufactured product ever,” starting with a one-million-per-year line at the Fremont Factory.
Following this, Musk stated that Giga Texas will receive a 10 million-per-year unit Optimus line. But even at this level, the Optimus ramp is just beginning, as the production of the humanoid robot will only accelerate from there. At some point, the CEO stated that a Mars location could even have a 100 million-unit-per-year production line, resulting in up to a billion Optimus robots being produced per year.
Self-replication is key
During the weekend, Musk posted a short message that hinted at Tesla’s Optimus strategy. “Optimus will be the Von Neumann probe,” the CEO wrote in his post. This short comment suggests that Tesla will not be relying on traditional production systems to make Optimus. The company probably won’t even hire humans to produce the humanoid robot at one point. Instead, Optimus robots could simply produce other Optimus robots, allowing them to self-replicate.
-->The Von Neumann is a hypothetical self-replicating spacecraft proposed by the mathematician and physicist John von Neumann in the 1940s–1950s. The hypothetical machine in the concept would be able to travel to a new star system or location, land, mine, and extract raw materials from planets, asteroids, and moons as needed, use those materials to manufacture copies of itself, and launch the new copies toward other star systems.
If Optimus could pull off this ambitious target, the humanoid robot would indeed be the highest volume product ever created. It could, as Musk predicted, really change the world.
Tesla is improving Giga Berlin’s free “Giga Train” service for employees
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y dominate China’s real-world efficiency tests
