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Tesla owners share first impressions on Full Self-Driving beta’s real-world performance

(Credit: Tesla Raj)

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Tesla owners @tesla_raj and @teslaownersSV recently went out on the open road to conduct a real-world test of the EV automaker’s limited Full Self-Driving beta update. FSD’s limited beta was released in late October 21 to early access Tesla owners, and it’s expected to represent some of the improvements resulting from the company’s Autopilot rewrite.

Speaking about the FSD update, Tesla Raj noted how distinctly different Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software acted as soon as it hit the road during his real-world test. “So when getting into the car, it didn’t initially get presented with Full Self-Driving, until you were out of your driveway but still in a residential court. It was at that moment that the screen changed into a computerized graphic from the future that basically looked like you were seeing what the computer sees,” he said in a YouTube video about his experience.

The new FSD visuals give the impression that drivers are seeing into the mind that Tesla’s AI team built. The electric car enthusiast noticed that the car seemed to be seeing much more than it used to, from the shoulder of the road before turning to people walking around the car, and more.

The two Tesla enthusiasts activated FSD while navigating through city streets, a function that Full Self-Driving’s previous iterations did not have the capability to do. He stated that Tesla’s FSD was heavily dependent on lane markers before the limited beta’s release. Its dependence on lane markers made it difficult for FSD to navigate residential streets.

The new update didn’t seem to have any trouble driving through a residential area, nor did it have trouble with turns. Previously, FSD did not make left and right turns on its own. Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software only kept the car in its lane, helped merge out of lanes, and stopped at red traffic lights or stop signs with confirmation.

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During their real-world test, the two EV enthusiasts demonstrated how Teslas could perform turns with the limited FSD beta. The feat might be minor for most experienced drivers, but not so much for new ones. Making turns can be scary even for human drivers after all, especially in crowded roads with drivers that are lacking in the tact department. So FSD making a turn on its own, and carefully at that, is quite an accomplishment.

The duo was also able to see the difference between FSD’s reaction to a stoplight in an intersection and a green light in an intersection. Tesla Raj observed how human-like FSD acted in these instances. For example, the car stopped at intersections and crept forward slowly–as if it were pausing to check if there were oncoming cars–before executing the turn.

The tiny action really showcased how far Tesla has come in the development of FSD. In the past few months, Elon Musk provided Tesla owners with tidbits here and there about the improvements that will be coming with the Autopilot rewrite. He teased the profound ramifications of the rewrite, particularly in relation to FSD. And when Tesla finally released the limited FSD beta, it certainly did not disappoint.

Tesla’s limited FSD beta will continue to roll out to more early access owners during the weekend, giving the community something to look forward to as the workweek ends. As Full Self-Driving beta is released to more early access owners, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that the price of FSD would be raised by $2,000 soon. The current price of FSD is $8,000. Later, he tweeted the price increase would take effect on Thursday, October 29, for the US market only.

Watch Tesla Raj’s insights about his experiences with the limited FSD beta in the video below.

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Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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After moving Tesla to Texas, Elon Musk is back in the Bay Area with Neuralink expansion

The news marks a noticeable step in Musk’s expanding presence in the Bay Area, despite the move of his biggest companies, Tesla and SpaceX, to Texas.

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Credit: Steve Jurvetson/Twitter

Recent reports have indicated that Elon Musk’s brain-implant startup, Neuralink, has leased a five-story, 144,000-square-foot building in South San Francisco. At the same time, Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI is reportedly also looking around for a Bay Area office. 

The news marks a noticeable step in Musk’s expanding presence in the Bay Area, despite the move of his biggest companies, Tesla and SpaceX, to Texas.

Neuralink’s Bay Area expansion

As noted in a report from the San Francisco Business Times, the property that Neuralink has leased is located at 499 Forbes Boulevard, and it was built by Aralon Properties before it was leased to cancer test developer InterVenn Biosciences. The site, however, had remained vacant since 2023 after InterVenn canceled its 10-year lease.

xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, is reportedly scouting for an even larger Bay Area office as well, as noted in a report from the San Francisco Chronicle. Combined, the two ventures could secure nearly 400,000 square feet of local workspace, a move seen as a symbolic return of sorts for Musk-led innovation to Silicon Valley.

Neuralink’s momentum

Founded in 2016, Neuralink develops brain-computer interfaces intended to help paralyzed patients control digital devices through thought. The company received U.S. regulatory approval in 2023 to begin human trials, with its first patient, quadriplegic Noland Arbaugh, making headlines for his stunning ability to control a computer cursor and play games using only his mind. Since receiving his implant, Arbaugh has stated that he now browses the web, plays video games like Mario Kart, studies neuroscience, and operates his smart home without lifting a finger. 

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Nauralink is only just getting started, with Elon Musk noting on X that the company is busy preparing its next product, Blindsight, for human trials. As per Musk, Neuralink is “aiming to restore (limited) sight to the completely blind next year,” an aggressive target for a potentially life-changing device.

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Tesla Cybercab tests seem to be ramping up again

Elon Musk has stated that he expects the company to achieve a run rate of 2 million Cybercabs annually.

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Credit: @serobinsonjr/X

Tesla seems to be ramping the tests of its autonomous two-seater, the Cybercab, once more. This was hinted at in recent drone footage from both the Fremont Factory and Gigafactory Texas.

The fresh sightings of the Cybercab in the Fremont Factory and Giga Texas have renewed conversations about the vehicle potentially being built with manual controls today. 

Fresh Cybercab tests

As noted by longtime drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer on social media platform X, he recently spotted a Cybercab driving on Giga Texas’ South River Road to the West side. Interestingly enough, the longtime Giga Texas watcher noted that this was the first Cybercab that he had seen conducting road tests in a while.

Over in the Fremont Factory, another Cybercab was spotted driving around the facility’s testing area. Similar to the Cybercab in the Giga Texas sighting, the vehicle that was spotted in the Fremont Factory seemed to be manually driven, at least based on the way it was being steered. This behavior has incited speculations among Tesla watchers that current Cybercab test units have manual controls, unlike their production version, which would have no steering wheel or pedals. 

Cybercab production preparation

The sightings of Cybercabs around the Fremont Factory and Giga Texas bode well for the vehicle’s development and impending production. It does, if any, complement reports that Tesla has been busy setting up production equipment for Giga Texas’ Cybercab production line. At the same time, drone footage around the Giga Texas complex has also revealed that Tesla is stockpiling some Cybercab castings, a likely sign that initial test production of the vehicle might soon begin.

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The Cybercab is expected to be Tesla’s highest volume vehicle, with CEO Elon Musk stating that he expects the company to achieve a run rate of 2 million Cybercabs annually. He also mentioned that the Cybercab will be easy to produce thanks to its Unboxed manufacturing process, so much so that its production would resemble a high-speed consumer electronics line instead of an automotive assembly line.

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Tesla FSD gets first rave reviews from media outlets in Japan

As per the publication, FSD demonstrated excellent situational awareness and smooth control, at times even performing better than a human driver.

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Credit: @BLKMDL3/X

Tesla FSD may continue to get flak from mainstream media outlets in the United States, but in other countries such as Japan, Full Self-Driving is being welcomed with much appreciation.

This is, at least, as per recent reviews from domestic media outlets that have tried out the capabilities of FSD on real-world roads.

FSD gets recognition

FSD was recently reviewed by Japanese news outlet Nikkei, which experienced the system’s capabilities in Tokyo’s metropolitan area. As per the publication, FSD demonstrated excellent situational awareness and smooth control, at times even performing better than a human driver. FSD was also credited for properly reacting to sudden, unexpected things on the road.

As per the FSD review, for example, a bicyclist suddenly came barreling into a crosswalk at high speed from the Tesla’s blind spot. The vehicle recognized the cyclist immediately and responded in a safe and proper manner, prompting the reviewer to exclaim “Wow!” And when a vehicle ahead of the Tesla started backing up to perform a turnaround on a narrow street unexpectedly, FSD smoothly halted to avoid a collision. Overall, the reviewer noted that during the 30-minute drive, the Tesla Model 3 running FSD did not require a single intervention. 

FSD’s impending Japan rollout

FSD is not yet rolled out in Japan, but the country seems to be paving the way for FSD to be released in the country. Just recently, reports emerged stating that Japan’s Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry has allowed artificial intelligence-powered vehicles to be retrofitted with a software update that could enable the activation of their self-driving features.

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In a post on X, Tesla Board Member Hiro Mizuno noted that this decision is no small matter as it could pave the way for a smooth rollout of features like FSD to Tesla consumers in Japan. “The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s decision to allow retrofitting of autonomous driving through software updates is significant. Currently, Tesla is the only manufacturer actively pursuing this… this decision will make it easier for all manufacturers to introduce autonomous driving in Japan,” the former Tesla Board member wrote in his post.

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