V11.4.2 is the second model of FSD Beta after the supposedly revolutionary enhancements going from V10 to V11.
There have been intense discussions on the net currently about large advances in synthetic intelligence (AI). Apparently, applications like ChatGPT have reached a stage the place they’ll reply conversational questions and write essays and poems, make medical diagnoses, write authorized briefs, and create photographs and flicks that do a reputable imitation of what a reliable skilled individual, digicam, or video digicam can do. This progress has come from utilizing large new supercomputers with massively parallel NVIDIA model graphic processors repurposed to coach on huge complete datasets.
![](https://cleantechnica.com/files/2023/06/3555_FullSelfDriving-Beta-Screen-17April2023.jpg)
New wider blue pathway line indicating FSD Beta in V11.3.6. April 17, 2023. Photograph by Fritz Hasler.
What are the implications of those advances in synthetic intelligence for computerized driving applications? Tesla is utilizing one of many 10 largest computer systems on this planet to course of information from my automobile and as much as 400,000 different vehicles utilizing FSD Beta to “prepare” future variations of the software program. The Tesla method makes use of cameras that substitute for human eyes and a Tesla customized “supercomputer” utilizing neural nets that attempt to imitate the advert hoc brainy selections {that a} human makes. Tesla just isn’t utilizing the method that another corporations have used of fully mapping the driving atmosphere so that every one the selections the automobile makes are specified forward of time.
What’s my tackle how that is understanding to this point?
We not too long ago had been capable of obtain the second V11 model of Tesla’s Full Self Driving Beta (V11.4.2). We’re spending the summer season in rural Northern Wisconsin, so my potential to guage it in heavy visitors and complicated conditions is restricted. Nonetheless, there are nonetheless issues that we are able to consider right here.
Within the low-traffic state of affairs right here, I can usually put an handle into the navigation and have it drive me the entire route with out intervention. An enormous benefit to FSD Beta over common Autosteer right here in Northern Wisconsin is that the automobile will drive routinely and precisely on roads with no traces (no yellow traces within the heart and no white traces on the sides of the street). It would additionally precisely navigate sharper turns than Autosteer.
One of many points about earlier variations of FSD Beta was too-timid (gradual) habits at cease indicators. I’ve been making quantitative observations of V11.4.2 habits at cease indicators. V11.4.2 now at all times stops my automobile on the right place at cease indicators. This wasn’t at all times true earlier than. The following query is how timid it’s at cease indicators. When leaving my home right here, I’ve two cease indicators the place a smaller street tees into a much bigger street and later tees right into a state freeway. I’ve been timing the interval from full cease to brisk acceleration. If the visibility of the larger street is sweet, I’m seeing a pause of ~3 seconds till brisk acceleration. Sadly, I didn’t measure this pause on the earlier V11 model, so I don’t know if that’s an enchancment. 3 seconds is fast sufficient that I don’t assume a automobile behind me can be considerably inconvenienced. If the visibility of the larger street from the cease signal just isn’t good, the automobile creeps ahead for a greater view and it takes a complete of ~5 seconds to brisk acceleration. If there’s a automobile behind me or a automobile within the distance approaching on the freeway, I’ll add somewhat accelerator encouragement.
Phantom braking
For all 11 variations of FSD Beta that I’ve used, phantom braking has been a problem. Nonetheless, I discover it to be an annoyance reasonably than a present stopper. Phantom regenerative deceleration is likely to be a greater time period usually. When utilizing FSD Beta, my proper foot is at all times resting frivolously on the accelerator. If I’ve a phantom braking occasion and there’s a automobile behind me, I apply some strain to the accelerator to maintain from slowing down considerably. With no automobile behind me, I let the automobile decelerate and velocity again up. I attempt to observe the “non-intervened” habits of FSD Beta at any time when doable.
I’ve noticed new habits with the final two variations of FSD Beta. I name it phantom swerving! I see this fairly incessantly on the two-lane roads the place I often drive right here in Northern Wisconsin. The automobile acts like there’s a individual or object in the midst of my lane. It swerves abruptly into the opposing visitors lane and again. As soon as it even swerved onto the shoulder of the street. I intervened as a result of I believed it’d drive off the street. The issue: There was nothing that I may see that justified this swerving.
For six months, my spouse and I used 10 variations of FSD Beta V10. We not too long ago bought the so referred to as “revolutionary” improve from V10 to V11. This improve was supposed to include huge enhancements that Tesla has been engaged on for a very long time. We bought our improve to V11.3.6 somewhat over a month in the past. In a earlier article, I reported on my first impressions. This text is my report on what I’ve noticed with the most recent model, V11.4.2.
FSD overview abstract
Sure, there have been vital enhancements. For instance, when working accurately, FSD Beta V11 strikes you over and will get you into the proper flip lane earlier. The lane modifications are additionally a lot smoother. You additionally get a wider blue pathway heart line that allows you to know that FSD Beta is lively (as proven within the image on the prime of this text). You continue to have the choice of FSD-only on limited-access highways, which provides you a narrower blue heart line, or Autosteer-only, which provides you two very slender blue traces on all sides of the lane.
Nonetheless, nonetheless too incessantly, FSD Beta places you within the incorrect lane. The worst is when it places you right into a flip lane when the navigation requires going straight. This, to me, is the largest failure of the present system. Observe: Right here in Northern Wisconsin, I don’t get an opportunity to look at this usually. Nonetheless, the city of Rhinelander (inhabitants 8,308) is 25 miles to our south. As we speak, whereas nonetheless in Rhinelander as we returned to Three Lakes, FSD Beta wrenched my steering wheel and put me right into a flip lane that was inconsistent with the navigation route. So, it’s clear that FSD Beta V11.4.2 has not solved this downside.
Why haven’t these issues been fastened? Tesla has large groups of software program specialists engaged on their whole AI method. But, I’ve seen no enchancment in phantom braking and dangerous lane selections within the 11 variations of the software program I’ve used. My take: The AI method Tesla is utilizing doesn’t handle these issues.
I might love to listen to about your experiences with FSD Beta within the feedback part. Have any of you noticed phantom swerving?
Tesla has reactivated its referral program. In case you discover any of my articles useful to you, please use my referral hyperlink: https://ts.la/arthur73734. If you’re shopping for a brand new Tesla and use my hyperlink (make sure you use it whenever you make your order), you’ll obtain $1,000 off your buy value and three months of Full Self-Driving. It’s technically FSD Beta and it’ll drive you routinely to any handle you enter into the navigation. (Simply be ready to intervene instantly if it screws up.)
Join day by day information updates from CleanTechnica on e mail. Or observe us on Google Information!
Have a tip for CleanTechnica, need to promote, or need to recommend a visitor for our CleanTech Speak podcast? Contact us right here.
Former Tesla Battery Professional Main Lyten Into New Lithium-Sulfur Battery Period — Podcast:
I do not like paywalls. You do not like paywalls. Who likes paywalls? Right here at CleanTechnica, we carried out a restricted paywall for some time, nevertheless it at all times felt incorrect — and it was at all times powerful to resolve what we must always put behind there. In concept, your most unique and finest content material goes behind a paywall. However then fewer individuals learn it! We simply do not like paywalls, and so we have determined to ditch ours.
Sadly, the media enterprise remains to be a tricky, cut-throat enterprise with tiny margins. It is a unending Olympic problem to remain above water and even maybe — gasp — develop. So …
In case you like what we do and need to help us, please chip in a bit month-to-month through PayPal or Patreon to assist our staff do what we do!
Thanks!
Commercial