- Latest Tesla driver-asistance package allows highly automated operation.
- Available on cars with the FSD package as an over-the-air update.
- Safety protocols for distracted drivers include 'strikeouts' that disable the system.
Tesla has launched Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in New Zealand and Australia, the first right-hand drive markets in the world to have the automated technology live for customers.
It's available for all Model 3 and Model Y vehicles fitted with FSD technology (An $11,400 option) from today (September 18). Customers who already own an eligible vehicle can download it as an over-the-air (OTA) update.
What is FSD (Supervised)? It's essentially the most advanced version of Tesla's camera-based driver-assistance technology. While it's called Full Self-Driving and does in fact allow the car to complete many journeys with no input from the driver, the bit in the brackets is crucial: (Supervised).
Tesla says it's a "hands-on feature that must be used by a fully attentive driver with additional caution and does not make the vehicle autonomous. Drivers must maintain proper control of the vehicle at all times, pay attention and beprepared to take immediate action at any moment".
And yes, that requirement also satisfies NZ law, because it means somebody is in control of the vehicle. It's enforced by the car (read on, below).
What can FSD (Supervised) do?
That said, FSD (Supervised) can theoretically do it all: according to Tesla it "attempts to drive to destinations by following curves in the road, stopping at and negotiating intersections, making left and right turns, navigating roundabouts, and entering/exiting highways.
"Like Autosteer and Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, FSD (Supervised) maintains speed and following distance from the vehicle ahead if there is one. FSD (Supervised) also slows down and stops at traffic lights and stop signs as necessary, and reacts to pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles on the road.
"For example, if you are driving on a residential street and another vehicle backs out of a driveway ahead, FSD (Supervised) slows down or stops as appropriate. If the other vehicle stops backing out while partially blocking the driving lane, FSD (Supervised) slows down and manoeuvres around the other vehicle if the width of the lane allows it."
What happens if you don't pay attention in Self-Drive mode?
The system does sound near-autonomous. Which is why the cabin camera monitors continued driver attentiveness when FSD (Supervised) is engaged; this system cannot be disabled.
The cabin camera does not require full visibility of the driver's eyes in order to monitor attentiveness. But if it does not have clear visibility of the driver's hand and arm locations, the touchscreen periodically displays a message reminding the driver to apply slight force to the steering wheel.
If the driver repeatedly looks away from the road, the touchscreen displays a warning. The warning is dismissed once the driver begins paying attention to the road again.
If the driver repeatedly ignores prompts to apply slight force to the steering wheel or to pay attention, a series of escalated warnings is displayed and, if those warnings are ignored, disables for the rest of the drive.
If the driver does not resume manual steering, the vehicle sounds a continuous chime, turns on the warning flashers, and slows to a complete stop.
Use of FSD (Supervised) is suspended when a driver of the vehicle receives five "strikeouts." A strikeout is when the system disengages for the remainder of a trip after the driver receives several audio and visual warnings for inattentiveness.
FSD (Supervised) is available as a package on all new Model 3 and Model Y vehicles and is available to test-drive at Tesla stores from now.
Customers who have already taken delivery of an eligible vehicle (with the "HW4" Tesla Vision camera system, introduced in 2023) without purchasing FSD can upgrade by purchasing the package.
It will also be available for eligible vehicles through subscription at $159 NZD per month.