After 5-weeks, I turned FSD Beta off!

After years of waiting I finally got my FSD Beta! After 6-weeks I turned it off.

I found the promise of the FSD Beta to be overblown. Yes it is very cool that the car will navigate on city streets to a destination. But the car is far too timid to be usable. It is worse than driving with a student driver. Also, the car’s hesitation causes a lot of problems with other drivers who get confused when they see the car stop or slow, when it should not. But that is not what made me turn it off.

I turned it off because it made the overall driving experience annoying, and more dangerous.

With the beta turned-on, the car makes speed changes at nearly every speed limit sign, even when only running TACC. Not only is this annoying but these changers often alarm my passengers and sometimes surprise the cars behind. The car does not do this when the FSD is disabled.

And then there is a notice at nearly every traffic light that one is coming, even when running only on TACC. I find I am spending time clearing nuisance alerts instead focusing 100% of my time on driving the car. And the sudden speed changes, if you miss one of the alerts, is just another version of the phantom breaking problem with the same set of issues for the cars behind. Note that I have this feature disabled under AP. This does not occur if FSD is disabled.

Next we have speed based lane changes. I disabled this under AP and the FSD stack just ignores this as well, and there is no way to tell it not to do so.

So overall, the benefit of having FSD is very minimal, while the negative impact to quality and enjoyment of driving is very real. I definably will not be buying FSD on a future car, unless these problems are fixed.

"Tesla Autopilot Engaged in Model X" by Ian Maddox is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Admin note: Image added for Blog Feed thumbnail

 

[JB47394]

I assume you have gone to the Software Menu and you have customized how often you want to receive software updates by touching Software Update Preferences?

Advanced

I have mine set to “Advanced” and I am not a high mileage driver. I get each update within a day or two of a new release.

Then I guess we're just among the lucky ones.

 

[KArnold]

Then I guess we're just among the lucky ones.

LOL. I've been set to "advanced" since the feature became available. I tend to get updates 2 to 3 weeks after release. And i think I am the lucky one - i.e. not yet offered 11.4.3 and from the feedback so far it is the release to skip. I'm fine letting others test the obvious bugs before me. It is a lot less frustrating.

I think that switch is a placebo like the thermostat you install for your wife!

 

[uscbucsfan]

LOL. I've been set to "advanced" since the feature became available. I tend to get updates 2 to 3 weeks after release. And i think I am the lucky one - i.e. not yet offered 11.4.3 and from the feedback so far it is the release to skip. I'm fine letting others test the obvious bugs before me. It is a lot less frustrating.

I think that switch is a placebo like the thermostat you install for your wife!

No, there was a thread on reddit somewhere that someone had 2 Teslas on mainstream releases (not Beta). Standard received about half the releases in a year than Advanced, but I don't think it does anything to speed up your FSD Beta releases. They seem to pick cars regionally.

My MS is almost always with the first group. I usually get it when Chuck and others get it, but sometimes a week later. My MY, which has been in the program a year longer, is in one of the last groups. It's impossible to predict.

I've had 11.4.3 on my MS for a week and it's been bad, I just got it on my MY about an hour ago and I'm considering not downloading it.

 

[TresLA]

No, there was a thread on reddit somewhere that someone had 2 Teslas on mainstream releases (not Beta). Standard received about half the releases in a year than Advanced, but I don't think it does anything to speed up your FSD Beta releases. They seem to pick cars regionally.

My MS is almost always with the first group. I usually get it when Chuck and others get it, but sometimes a week later. My MY, which has been in the program a year longer, is in one of the last groups. It's impossible to predict.

I've had 11.4.3 on my MS for a week and it's been bad, I just got it on my MY about an hour ago and I'm considering not downloading it.

We have two Model 3s on FSDb branch. One since the initial 2000 people in Fall of 2021 (v2021.32.25 which was FSDb v10.2) and the other since this past fall. Sometimes they together both get alerts for a new FSDb software update. Sometimes one gets it a week or two before the other.

I love it and have learned when to disengage or just “encourage” with the accelerator pedal. That allows using FSDb in and amongst other drivers, cyclists, pedestrians without scaring or pissing anyone off. Just disengage and reengage once clear of the danger/difficult situation. My wife on the other hand doesn’t dare use FSDb and just drives manually unless on a road trip/long open highway.

 

[gnuarm]

It would always be helpful to include the FSD Beta version in a post. I received 11.3.6 on May 29th, 2023 for my Y LR 2023, and drove 6100 miles with it in 5 weeks. Generally good results, and found it useful especially for long freeway cruises. I did have several phantom braking events, and also several cases where it tried to change lanes into a right turn lane inappropriately. But generally quite good and impressive. I wish Tesla would let me download the new 11.4.2, but for some reason it is not allowing that.

Have you used autopilot before? It works great, without the daredevil stunts the FSD tries. I gave up on FSD, trying it twice, a few months apart. Maybe I'll try it again in a year or so.

 

[clydeiii]

Could you rephrase that? There aren't 5 weeks between May 29 and June 16.

I ask only because I put 4400 miles on Navigate on Autopilot during a 7 day trip, and since then I've gotten FSDb right after the YouTubers. I'm guessing that Tesla prioritizes people who put lots of miles on their software (and generate reports).

It’s random who gets it.

 

[melmalinowski]

You're right. I started the 5 week trip on May 4th, and didn't get to download FSB Beta until about May 27. Till then, it was just Autosteer Beta. However, as of July 8th, 2023, Autosteer Beta STILL turns the wipers on in clear dry conditions, with a clean windshield, and won't accept over-rides. This bug has been reported for more than a year, yet persists. Makes you wonder. And still no fix for the brain-dead can't understand rural speed limits. So I vote with my money. No $199 a month till we all get to download the most recent updates, and they fix the obvious bugs. As it stands, FSD is definitely not close to ready for prime time.

 

[melmalinowski]

Mine is also set to 'Advanced'. Did you buy the full FSD package or not?

 

[melmalinowski]

Allow me to post the obvious. I assume you have gone to the Software Menu and you have customized how often you want to receive software updates by touching Software Update Preferences?

I have mine set to “Advanced” and I am not a high mileage driver. I get each update within a day or two of a new release.

Mine is the same settings. I get regular software updates automatically, but not FSB Beta latest versions. I've now driven 8000 miles. I've quit subscribing to FSB until they let subscribers have the latest updates to FSB Beta. They will not say if/when this will happen.

 

[enemji]

the car makes speed changes at nearly every speed limit sign, even when only running TACC. Not only is this annoying but these changers often alarm my passengers and sometimes surprise the cars behind.

This is annoying but then the question is why so many speed limit changes on a road. If they are not needed, the transportation dept should get rid of those speed limits.

 

[SidetrackedSue]

This is annoying but then the question is why so many speed limit changes on a road. If they are not needed, the transportation dept should get rid of those speed limits.

In my case, the system on AP or TACC reads the black on white highway 60 sign as the speed limit and drops my speed to 60kph from the 80kph the road is actually at. It continues to show the speed as 60 until I pass by another actual speed limit sign.

 

[DWtsn]

Absolutely PISSED OFF at this point at FSDb. I have had it off for the most part and only use it on highways where there is a straight-line and nothing to cause the car to do something stupid. So yesterday I go to my FSDb profile as I enter the on-ramp for a high-speed (75mph speed limit) toll road. I allow the car to do its' thing for the 20 miles or so on the toll road and it exits to a small highway, still 70mph speed limit, that has about a 1-mile stretch until it enters the city of Lindale. So far, so good, 20 miles of FSDb with no big issues. About 1/2 mile into the next highway drive I'm in the right lane, speed set at 75mph, when all of a sudden the car activates the right blinker and - without slowing - pulls into a fairly short, dedicated right turn lane that turns into a business. At the end of the turn lane is a drainage culvert, or a "bar ditch" as we say in Texas!

The car enters the turn lane and never slows down, I immediately hit the turn signal button to get a look to my left to see if a car is there and also look over my left shoulder (no response to activating the left turn signal). This all occurs as my hand is grabbing the yoke and my foot shifting to the brake. I see the blue line wavering left and right and then lock into a right turn into the business parking lot at the end of this dedicated turn lane. Remember, this is all taking place in a matter of 1-2 seconds so far. As soon as I see over my shoulder that the lane to my left is clear the car is attempting to make a 90 degree right turn at 75mph. I am able to yank the yoke left and tap the brake as the car is starting the right hand turn. The rear end of the car breaks loose and slides as I get the yoke steered into the right hand lane of the highway. I allow the speed to bleed off to get the rear tires behind me and continue on. My dog has been thrown around the back of the car, my wife banged her head and both are pissed at me for what the car has just done to US.

This whole event occurred in mere seconds. I see people justifying what FSDb does and I read the quotes daily about "...it's beta and you have to be prepared for anything..." and I just wonder if "anything" truly should include a 75mph attempt at a ridiculous, absolutely incalculable maneuver that was seconds and mere feet from a disastrous crash? And WHY can't I report this to Tesla in some way, shape or form? And PLEASE DEAR GOD don't say, "Just leave a voice memo after the Autopilot disconnect." Because that is the most ridiculous system anyone has come up with in a long time. If that worked, these things wouldn't be happening to me and many others almost daily.

 

[BigNick]

Absolutely PISSED OFF at this point at FSDb. I have had it off for the most part and only use it on highways where there is a straight-line and nothing to cause the car to do something stupid. So yesterday I go to my FSDb profile as I enter the on-ramp for a high-speed (75mph speed limit) toll road. I allow the car to do its' thing for the 20 miles or so on the toll road and it exits to a small highway, still 70mph speed limit, that has about a 1-mile stretch until it enters the city of Lindale. So far, so good, 20 miles of FSDb with no big issues. About 1/2 mile into the next highway drive I'm in the right lane, speed set at 75mph, when all of a sudden the car activates the right blinker and - without slowing - pulls into a fairly short, dedicated right turn lane that turns into a business. At the end of the turn lane is a drainage culvert, or a "bar ditch" as we say in Texas!

The car enters the turn lane and never slows down, I immediately hit the turn signal button to get a look to my left to see if a car is there and also look over my left shoulder (no response to activating the left turn signal). This all occurs as my hand is grabbing the yoke and my foot shifting to the brake. I see the blue line wavering left and right and then lock into a right turn into the business parking lot at the end of this dedicated turn lane. Remember, this is all taking place in a matter of 1-2 seconds so far. As soon as I see over my shoulder that the lane to my left is clear the car is attempting to make a 90 degree right turn at 75mph. I am able to yank the yoke left and tap the brake as the car is starting the right hand turn. The rear end of the car breaks loose and slides as I get the yoke steered into the right hand lane of the highway. I allow the speed to bleed off to get the rear tires behind me and continue on. My dog has been thrown around the back of the car, my wife banged her head and both are pissed at me for what the car has just done to US.

This whole event occurred in mere seconds. I see people justifying what FSDb does and I read the quotes daily about "...it's beta and you have to be prepared for anything..." and I just wonder if "anything" truly should include a 75mph attempt at a ridiculous, absolutely incalculable maneuver that was seconds and mere feet from a disastrous crash? And WHY can't I report this to Tesla in some way, shape or form? And PLEASE DEAR GOD don't say, "Just leave a voice memo after the Autopilot disconnect." Because that is the most ridiculous system anyone has come up with in a long time. If that worked, these things wouldn't be happening to me and many others almost daily.

We need a [SCARY] tag for posts.

Assuming you didn't think to save the video from that due to the panic situation, would be interesting to see and try to figure out WTF the car was doing.

 

[SidetrackedSue]

We need a [SCARY] tag for posts.

Assuming you didn't think to save the video from that due to the panic situation, would be interesting to see and try to figure out WTF the car was doing.

I keep the camera record button as one of my favorites. As the driver I can honk but if the driver is dealing with the emergency disengagement, as passenger I can trigger a recording, meaning two people have a way to capture the video and two people have to forget to do so.

Thankfully in Canada speed limits are much lower so such a situation would never arise. As well, we only trust FSDb for super simple driving (with predictable poor decisions that are more easily overcome.)

 

[Rikster]

Absolutely PISSED OFF at this point at FSDb. I have had it off for the most part and only use it on highways where there is a straight-line and nothing to cause the car to do something stupid. So yesterday I go to my FSDb profile as I enter the on-ramp for a high-speed (75mph speed limit) toll road. I allow the car to do its' thing for the 20 miles or so on the toll road and it exits to a small highway, still 70mph speed limit, that has about a 1-mile stretch until it enters the city of Lindale. So far, so good, 20 miles of FSDb with no big issues. About 1/2 mile into the next highway drive I'm in the right lane, speed set at 75mph, when all of a sudden the car activates the right blinker and - without slowing - pulls into a fairly short, dedicated right turn lane that turns into a business. At the end of the turn lane is a drainage culvert, or a "bar ditch" as we say in Texas!

The car enters the turn lane and never slows down, I immediately hit the turn signal button to get a look to my left to see if a car is there and also look over my left shoulder (no response to activating the left turn signal). This all occurs as my hand is grabbing the yoke and my foot shifting to the brake. I see the blue line wavering left and right and then lock into a right turn into the business parking lot at the end of this dedicated turn lane. Remember, this is all taking place in a matter of 1-2 seconds so far. As soon as I see over my shoulder that the lane to my left is clear the car is attempting to make a 90 degree right turn at 75mph. I am able to yank the yoke left and tap the brake as the car is starting the right hand turn. The rear end of the car breaks loose and slides as I get the yoke steered into the right hand lane of the highway. I allow the speed to bleed off to get the rear tires behind me and continue on. My dog has been thrown around the back of the car, my wife banged her head and both are pissed at me for what the car has just done to US.

This whole event occurred in mere seconds. I see people justifying what FSDb does and I read the quotes daily about "...it's beta and you have to be prepared for anything..." and I just wonder if "anything" truly should include a 75mph attempt at a ridiculous, absolutely incalculable maneuver that was seconds and mere feet from a disastrous crash? And WHY can't I report this to Tesla in some way, shape or form? And PLEASE DEAR GOD don't say, "Just leave a voice memo after the Autopilot disconnect." Because that is the most ridiculous system anyone has come up with in a long time. If that worked, these things wouldn't be happening to me and many others almost daily.

What you've described has happened to me too many times to count on 11.4.4. This to me is the worst flaw I've seen so far in FSDb, and it's pretty surprising that Tesla hasn't figured out a quick way to stop this dangerous behavior. It was very rare in 11.3.6, but is nearly constant in 11.4.4. I'm very aware of this flaw and am always ready to intervene when my car darts into the turn lane at 60-70 mph, but if I didn't catch this immediately, I really don't know what the car would do.

 

[JB47394]

I see people justifying what FSDb does and I read the quotes daily about "...it's beta and you have to be prepared for anything..." and I just wonder if "anything" truly should include a 75mph attempt at a ridiculous, absolutely incalculable maneuver that was seconds and mere feet from a disastrous crash?

The next time the car starts in on that sort of behavior, I bet you're going to jump all over it, right? That's what "being ready for anything" means. This may have been your first experience with FSD doing something completely unexpected, and you had the unfortunate luck of experiencing it at 75 mph. I had an almost identical experience at 50 mph. I let the situation develop because of the lower speed - and I also decided not to let such a situation develop ever again. I was as alarmed as I've ever been with FSD, and I didn't appreciate what it must have done to my tires.

I'm glad you're okay.

 

[DWtsn]

The next time the car starts in on that sort of behavior, I bet you're going to jump all over it, right? That's what "being ready for anything" means. This may have been your first experience with FSD doing something completely unexpected, and you had the unfortunate luck of experiencing it at 75 mph. I had an almost identical experience at 50 mph. I let the situation develop because of the lower speed - and I also decided not to let such a situation develop ever again. I was as alarmed as I've ever been with FSD, and I didn't appreciate what it must have done to my tires.

I'm glad you're okay.

I would challenge you to read some of my other posts because this is FAR from my “first experience” with FSDb. I would also challenge you to be so “ready for anything” that you manage to catch the car suddenly activate the turn signal and pull into an exit lane on I-20 that is very short and then takes a 90 degree right turn to a surface road and this all occurs at 80mph!! This happened so quickly and so unexpectedly that in the video the time from blinker to entering the exit lane was barely a second and if I hadn’t yanked the yoke and went through the gore point and gravel and steered back into the lane of travel there was virtually no way to have avoided a wreck. This and MANY MORE of these experiences have happened over and over. So you can preach the “be ready for anything” fanboy mantra but to be so hyper-focused 100% of the time on a car doing the most unimaginable maneuver is virtually impossible.

 

[SidetrackedSue]

About 1/2 mile into the next highway drive I'm in the right lane, speed set at 75mph, when all of a sudden the car activates the right blinker and - without slowing - pulls into a fairly short, dedicated right turn lane that turns into a business. At the end of the turn lane is a drainage culvert, or a "bar ditch" as we say in Texas!

Irony of ironies, after reading and commenting on your post earlier this week, our car did almost the same thing yesterday, except it couldn't pull back onto the straight due to cars in that lane and nearly ditched us. Plus we were in the eastern US crossing 'mountains', not a flyover state, so it happened at 50MPH, not 75.

Not nearly as scary, nor were we thrown about in the car as much as you were. But same situation.

And, guess what? Neither of us hit the record video button!

 

[Twiglett]

Said it many times on these forums and it’s still true now.
I‘ve been driving with FSDb since 10.3 and the car has NOT ONCE made it out of the intended driving lane.
If your car makes it all the way into a short turn lane when it should be driving straight on at 75mph, it‘s your fault.