Tesla has significantly adapted its communication on autonomous driving in recent weeks and presented itself more cautiously than in the past. Most noticeably, the description of the FSD (Full Self-Driving) option on the company's US website has been changed and the previous promises of continuous improvement have been removed. Instead Tesla now refers to "Full Self-Driving (Supervised)", which clearly signals that the technology has not yet reached the status of fully autonomous driving.
This change surprises many observers who still remember the ambitious goals of Tesla-CEO Elon Musk still remember. Back in April 2019, Musk had already spoken of a future in which Tesla a fleet of over 1 million robotaxis would hit the roads. This goal has been postponed several times, and the vision of fully autonomous driving is still a long way off. With the current adjustments Tesla could respond to the numerous legal and technological challenges that the road to autonomous driving entails.
What does the new "Supervised" version of the FSD mean?
Since the fall of 2020 Tesla has been testing a beta version of its Full Self-Driving software in the USA, which has the potential for autonomous driving. Tesla has always emphasized that it is a continuously improving software that will eventually be able to drive fully autonomously - i.e. without human intervention. However, this idea has been increasingly called into question in recent years.
On the US website Tesla has now introduced the addition "supervised", which means that the function still requires human supervision. Autonomous driving in the true sense of the word has therefore not yet been achieved. This change affects not only the term "Full Self-Driving", but also the promise of continuous further development, which has been removed from the website. Previously, it stated that the FSD software would continuously improve to eventually enable autonomous driving without supervision. With the current adjustment Tesla however, the company appears to be positioning itself more cautiously so as not to raise false expectations.
Changes in the Tesla-configurator: US vs. Germany
Even though similar adjustments have been made in Germany, the term "full potential for autonomous driving" remains in this country. This wording has already been the subject of legal disputes in the past. For example, a trade association in Germany had demanded Tesla should no longer be allowed to use the terms "autopilot" and "full potential for autonomous driving" as they are misleading. However, the Munich Higher Regional Court ruled that only minor adjustments were necessary, which Tesla has also made in the meantime.
In Germany, the addition "by the end of the year" was replaced by "in the future" in connection with the introduction of the City Steering Assistant. This means that a certain caution in the marketing of FSD is also evident here, although the wording still sounds much more optimistic than in the USA.
The significance of the upcoming Tesla Robotaxi event
Although Tesla is becoming more cautious in its communication around FSD, the company has announced a major event for October 10, 2024. Observers assume that this event will be about the launch of a special Tesla-robotaxi will be the subject. Elon Musk himself had already announced in April that there would be a major presentation in August 2024 at which the Robotaxi would be unveiled. This event was then postponed to October.
According to Musk, October 10 will be an important milestone in Tesla's history. Some experts expect that Tesla could present a vehicle at this event that has been specially developed for autonomous operation. This assumption is supported by the recent changes on the Tesla-website, which indicate that Tesla may no longer be working on retrofitting vehicles currently on sale for fully autonomous driving. Instead, the company could be launching into the future of autonomous driving with a new type of robotaxi.
What does this mean for the future of FSD and Tesla's autonomous ambitions?
The recent adjustments to the website and the introduction of the term "supervised" show that Tesla more realistic expectations for autonomous driving. The fact that the promise of continuous improvement has been removed suggests that Tesla may have moved away from the original vision of autonomous driving for existing vehicles. It now seems more likely that fully autonomous driving will initially only be used in specially developed robotaxis.
The introduction of robotaxis could be a gamechanger for Tesla and the automotive industry, although it remains to be seen to what extent this technology is actually ready for use. In recent years, there have been repeated delays and legal hurdles that have slowed down progress in autonomous driving. The fact that Tesla is now more cautious on its US website could indicate that the company itself has recognized how challenging the path to fully autonomous driving is.
Tesla steps on the brakes - at least when it comes to promises
Tesla is known for its ambitious goals and revolutionary technologies. However, the company now seems to be shifting down a gear when it comes to marketing FSD. The new wording on the website and the more cautious communication indicate that Tesla is adjusting its expectations and promises to reality. While the road to fully autonomous vehicles remains the big goal, the company's Tesla, that it is not rushing into this challenge.
With the upcoming Robotaxi event, it could Tesla however, take an important step towards the future of autonomous driving. Until then, it remains exciting to see what developments the coming weeks and months will bring - and whether Tesla will continue to pursue the goal of eventually offering fully autonomous electric vehicles without human supervision.
Keywords: Tesla, FSD, Full Self-Driving, autonomous driving, Tesla robotaxi, Elon Musk, autopilot, Tesla News, FSD Supervised, Tesla Event, autonomous driving USA, Tesla Germany, Tesla FSD Update, Tesla configurator, Tesla autonomous
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