I am a liar.
Last year I wrote that I would never trust my life to Tesla’s Full Self Driving (FSD)… but I did anyway.
I did it to help you, dear readers, understand exactly what the American brand is offering, but also because I was just so curious to see if FSD could live up to the hype around it. Tesla czar Elon Musk has claimed it will revolutionise the automotive world and remove the need for humans behind the wheel (or just the need for the steering wheel).
But there are plenty of doubters (other than myself) who believe that there are still some very large question marks around the system and its safety in the real-world. Tesla, as a brand, has been caught up in several instances of its ‘Autopilot’ system being linked to fatal crashes, including cases where the car maker has reached financial settlements to end court cases.
So, is Tesla FSD a risk to everyone on the road? Or is it a breakthrough technology that will change how people use their cars?
As always, the reality lies somewhere in the middle. Yes, there is inherent risk with any new technology, and there’s always risk every time you drive. The notion that computers are infallible and therefore safer than humans has always puzzled me. Computers are still programmed by humans, and if you’ve ever used one and never experienced the ‘blue screen of death’ or the ‘endlessly spinning pinwheel’ then you should buy yourself a lottery ticket.
But Full Self Driving was genuinely impressive to experience. I was careful to sample it first on some clearly marked rural roads, rather than the heart of downtown, and it did a very good job of following the road smoothly, turning at the corners when I indicated and following the speed limits carefully – sometimes too cautiously.
What I really liked was the in-built safety systems, which require you to pay attention and make inputs when requested or it simply switches off. Ignore it enough and it turns itself off completely until you stop completely and reset the system.
Frankly, while that may sound a bit self-defeating – why does a self-driving car need the human to intervene? – it’s very much necessary. The driver needs to remain engaged with the driving experience the entire time, rather than just sitting back and watching the scenery or, worse, playing with their phone or having a nap.
We simply do not need that sort of behaviour on our roads. It puts everyone around the car at risk, not just the occupant, so I’m glad Tesla has been proactive and ensured the driver is forced to pay attention.
But you also need to pay attention because the system is simply not flawless. There were times where it mis-read the speed limit, asked for steering assistance and refused to take-off from a stop sign, so it needed the driver to get involved; thus negating the claim of it being ‘full’ self-driving.
Overall the FSD system impressed me, especially considering my concerns around it being an entirely camera-based system, with Tesla refusing to use LIDAR and radar like Waymo insists on fitting to its completely autonomous taxis in the US.
However, it does still have some problems that need to be worked out, which is fine if it’s a free Beta testing program, like Tesla has enjoyed in the past. The issue here is FSD costs $10,000 to activate in your new Model Y.
That’s on top of the $75k you had to pay for the Long Range mode, which makes the Model Y an $85k proposition. For that money you should expect a premium vehicle, but the Tesla feels very bland both externally and inside the cabin.
Yes, the updated 2025 version still has Tesla’s excellent powertrain technology and an improved ride, but anyone still clinging to the notion that testing is a ‘premium’ or ‘luxury’ brand is fooling themself.
Perhaps the better option is to take up Tesla’s offer of month-by-month payment, at least initially. That only requires you to spend $149 each month to utilise the FSD features built into the Model Y, so you can experience it for yourself and work out whether you really want to leave the driving to the computer or still be responsible yourself.
Although, if you prefer to be a passenger, you can buy a lot of bus and train tickets for $85,000…
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