A Tesla owner uncovered a 'terrifying truth' about their driving habits after using their car's Full-Self Driving (FSD) feature '99 percent of the time'.
Self-driving cars were once whacky ideas portrayed in futuristic sci-fi movies, but they're now a reality on our roads.
Tesla, founded in 2003, first rolled out its FSD feature to a small group of US testers in October 2020.
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By November 2022, the beta had opened to all North American owners who'd purchased the option - and as of January, Elon Musk's company claims its customers have driven three billion miles on 'FSD (Supervised).'
How Tesla's FSD works
As Tesla's website explains for its Model Y cars, FSD 'uses inputs from cameras mounted at the front, rear, left, and right' to 'build a model of the area surrounding Model Y.'
"The Full Self-Driving computer installed in Model Y is designed to use this input, rapidly process neural networks, and make decisions to safely guide you to your destination," it states.
Driver's 'terrifying' realization
Taking to Reddit, one driver who'd gotten used to FSD was surprised to realize their own driving habits had declined pretty drastically.
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Posting to the site's R/TeslaLounge forum, they admitted: "When I do disengage and drive manually, I am so much more aware of how limited my awareness actually is.
"I feel a sense of vulnerability that I didn’t even realize existed before I became used to relying on this tech."
They added it was 'insane' to consider the sheer amount of 'inconsistency and unpredictability' on the road 'at all times' as 'each person’s energy and emotional state is in flux'.
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However, they resolved that 'if every car on the road used [FSD] technology simultaneously, there would be complete harmony on the road at all times'.
"No drunk driving, no tired driving, no distressed driving, no inexperienced driving. It’s such a no brainer."
This declaration was met with mixed reaction, as not every driver felt confident putting their trust in FSD.
In February 2023, Tesla recalled some 362,000 vehicles with its self-driving software after regulators warned the driver assistance system did not adequately adhere to traffic safety laws and could cause crashes.
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Meanwhile, the NHTSA reported 60 crashes and one fatality involving the use of FSD beta during the period August 2022 to August 2023.
Not every Tesla driver agreed
One person wrote: "I love FSD as it makes traffic 90% more bearable and road trips a breeze. But we all will be losing something along the way."
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A second weighed in: "I predict that in 40, 50, 60 years, everyone will be fully FSD and the only people that will have drivable cars are the rich who can afford the astronomical insurance rates that will come with the old way."
But a third driver added: "I feel the opposite. I hardly trust FSD at all and am more nervous and anxious when it’s driving."
A fourth said: "It's a nice tool. It's nowhere near ready for primetime, at least not where I live."
Tesla's FSD advice
Tesla's website warns drivers: "Full Self-Driving (Supervised) is a hands-on feature that requires you to pay attention to the road at all times.
"Keep your hands on the steering wheel at all times, be mindful of road conditions and surrounding traffic, pay attention to pedestrians and cyclists, and always be prepared to take immediate action (especially around blind corners, crossing intersections, and in narrow driving situations)."
It continues: "Failure to follow these instructions could cause damage, serious injury or death. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the limitations of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) and the situations in which it may not work as expected."
Topics: Tesla, Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Electric Cars, Elon Musk
Ellie Kemp