Some background on Tesla's development of Full Self Driving software. Several thousand Tesla owners that have purchased the FSD option have received "beta" software for testing. It has not been known how the beta testers are selected. A few months ago, Tesla announced that all FSD option purchasers would receive beta software if requested. The released common software has been moribund for a year or so; very few substantive steps toward full self driving have been taken. There have been many reports of wondrous improvements in the beta software. Tesla has taken much flack for the common software not performing as well as expected. Running into parked police cars, for instance.
The common software will follow planned routes only on freeways; it does pretty nicely negotiate freeway interchanges. That is, the cars will not make turns at normal intersections. To make such turns drivers must override or disengage autopilot. The beta software is reported to follow planned routes on most streets. That is, go point to point over long distances with minimal driver intervention.
Tesla is now offering the highly sought after "beta" software to drivers that earn "high" grades through Tesla's observations on five driving parameters. Many, including myself, seek the necessary high grades. Scuttlebutt is that about 1000 cars per week will be given the software.
Last Monday, I made a painful trip to the Pond Springs Road service center in order to have my "your 12v battery needs to be replaced" error fixed. After that fix, I was allowed to install the widely distributed software version that allows drivers to apply for the narrowly distributed "beta" version. After that application, the grading of my driving begins. All applicants are graded for a week or longer before distribution of the beta software begins.
Here are some results of my attempts to be a driver which Tesla deems satisfactory for beta testing.
There are five grading critera/parameters:
1) Forward Collision Warnings. I have gotten these fairly frequently. All seem to be false alarms with no obvious cause
2) Hard Braking
3) Aggressive Turning
4) Unsafe Following
5) Forced Autopilot Disengagements. When a driver is regularly found to not be holding the steering wheel while autopilot is engaged, autopilot is disengaged until the car is stopped and put briefly in "park".
My daily scores have been:
1) Sept 28, grade 89 , 106 miles, dings for the first three parameters
2) Sept 29, grade 96. 294 miles, "unsafe following"
3) Sept 30, grade 100, 37 miles, no dings
4) Oct 1, grade 100, 84 miles, no dings
5) Oct 2, grade 93, 352 miles, "hard braking", "unsafe following"
I had my overall score up to 96 (from 89) after the first 4 days. After the fifth day, it was 94.
Early on, I discovered that "hard braking" was scored when autopilot was allowed to brake the car approaching a stop sign or a stop light. For days 2 through 4, I studiously disengaged autopilot as all stop signs/lights were approached.
I haven't been able to associate any events with the dings for "unsafe following".
I suspect that "aggressive turning" dings result from autopilot changing lanes and abruptly deciding to abort a lane change.
Oct 2, I drove all day including driving through heavy San Antonio traffic. Incidentally, my destination was the coffee shop that offers destination charging in Uvalde. I found that that charge station would supply only 12 amps or about 3kw; it is of little use for traveling US90 toward Del Rio from San Antonio. Tiring, I became inattentive to the need to drive mostly without autopilot engaged. In places, I allowed autopilot to abruptly change lanes and brake heavily for flashing caution lights. To bring my grade back up, I will use shorter trips in lighter traffic areas.
Sun, Oct 3, 2021
A reader offered this:
https://www.tesla.com/support/safety-score
Which contains the sentence: "Driving on Autopilot will not be included in Safety Score calculations, but the miles driven while on Autopilot are included in the total." Which seems to directly contradict the behavior I've noted.
Today's drive:
6) Oct 3, grade 98, 155 miles. Dinged for "aggressive turning" and "unsafe following". Total score 93, a one point decline. Without rhyme or reason.
Thur, Oct 7, 2021
This from a news story on the topic:
Elon Musk has posted a key update to Tesla’s FSD Beta 10.2 rollout, with the CEO stating that the new iteration of the company’s advanced driver-assist system is poised for release this coming Friday. Musk also noted that the program would be expanding to about 1,000 new Tesla owners who have registered a perfect 100 rating on their Safety Score.
The CEO did note, however, that the rollout of FSD Beta 10.2 would be put on hold for several days to evaluate the expanded program. If the results of the FSD Beta 10.2 expansion prove successful, then Tesla would start to gradually roll out the advanced driver-assist system to owners who have posted a 99 rating on their Safety Score. Rollouts to owners with Safety Scores of 98 and below should follow.
Alarmingly and discouragingly, with a grade of 95, it seems I will not receive the software in the near term. My experience is that a grade of 100 is near impossible to achieve. However, I have at least one credible report that another Tesla driver achieves 100 with very little effort or caution. I am now suspecting some hardware difference in my car.
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