Tesla, the electric vehicle manufacturer, released a long-awaited software upgrade Friday night. Customers can now request access to controversial Full Self-Driving Beta software (FSD Beta).
Tesla CEO Elon Musk was delighted with the move, but it could draw the ire federal vehicle safety officials who are already investigating the automaker's driver-assistance systems for safety issues.
FSD Beta, a unfinished version Tesla's premium driver assistance software, FSD is available in the U.S. at a price of $10,000 or $199 per month.
FSD is advertised as enabling Tesla to change lanes, navigate on highways, park in a spot or roll out of a spot to drive small distances at a slower pace, without the need for a driver.
FSD Beta allows drivers to access an "autosteer in city streets" feature. This feature is still being developed and allows drivers to navigate through urban environments with pedestrians, bicyclists, cyclists, and pets. The driver should be attentive and keep their hands on the steering wheel. However, they must also be ready to assume control of driving at any moment.
None of Tesla’s driver assistance systems, including its standard Autopilot package, premium Full Self-Driving option or FSD Beta, make Teslas autonomous.
FSD Beta was previously available to approximately 2,000 people. This mix includes mostly employees, customers and others who tested it on public roads, even though it hasn't yet been debugged.
The new download button could lead to an increase in participants who aren't regulatory officers trained.
