Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced that unsupervised Full Self-Driving (FSD) capabilities will be launching in Austin, Texas, this June, with plans to expand to more U.S. cities by the end of the year. This exciting development will allow Tesla vehicles to operate without human oversight, marking a significant milestone in the company’s journey towards fully autonomous driving.
Musk took to X to share the news, stating, “As I’ve said previously, unsupervised full self-driving Teslas will be carrying passengers in Austin in June and many cities in America by the end of the year. This will enable passenger cars to increase in utility by roughly half an order of magnitude overnight with a software update.” This update will revolutionize the way we think about transportation and increase the efficiency and convenience of Tesla vehicles.
The move towards unsupervised FSD has been a long time coming, with Tesla continuously pushing the boundaries of autonomous driving through its FSD beta program. Currently, the program requires drivers to remain attentive and ready to take control if necessary. With the upcoming update, Tesla vehicles will be able to navigate roads and traffic without human intervention, paving the way for a future where fully autonomous driving is the norm.
The announcement comes on the heels of a demonstration of FSD technology by Tesla investor Sawyer Merritt, who shared his experience riding in a Tesla equipped with Full Self-Driving capabilities. Merritt praised the technology, stating, “The steering wheel was not touched—throughout. The technology is real. People are driving 100 miles out of New York City or wherever you want to go, and not touching the steering wheel once.” This real-world demonstration underscores the potential of FSD to revolutionize the way we travel.
Recent tests of the latest FSD 13.2.8 software have been incredibly impressive, with drivers showcasing the capabilities of HW4-equipped Tesla vehicles. One test conducted by Kyle Paul involved a Model Y with FSD navigating obstacles without any issues, highlighting the advanced capabilities of Tesla’s autonomous driving technology.
Overall, the upcoming launch of unsupervised Full Self-Driving in Austin is a major milestone for Tesla and the autonomous driving industry as a whole. As Musk and his team continue to push the boundaries of innovation, we can expect to see even more exciting developments in the world of autonomous vehicles in the months and years to come.