Like most other folks here, I'm really super-vigilant while test driving this FSD Beta. If you're like me, you've grown more confident with this system as you've gotten more experience with its strengths and weaknesses. We're all learning. Of course it has problems, and that's why we're testing it -- to improve it. Frankly, I've driven a number of production cars that have had safety issues of various types, and I'll bet that every one of you have too. As drivers, we learn, and adapt to any car's weaknesses, and enjoy its strengths.
This advanced software, computing and sensor suite add an additional element of performance and safety that is really promising. It's teaching us to be better, more alert, and observant drivers. We're testing this software, and it is testing us as well. This is as serious as it gets, and the improvement of this software will lead to full autonomy -- for better or worse.
Automobile crashes happen every minute of every day, and the carnage on our highways is mostly caused by driver errors. We accept risk, and operate on a continuum of acceptable or unacceptable risks. FSD will never get intoxicated, fall asleep at the wheel, be distracted by a text message, or experience road rage. Many folks have posted that this is just like monitoring a student driver, and that is "spot on". Our cars are learning, and we must be good teachers, good mentors, and eventually good, honest judges of their performance.
To answer the OP's question, there surely have been "accidents" while driving on FSD Beta. Everyone knows that someone will die at some point in this process. Advancements in medicine, aeronautics, and technology are almost always accompanied by fatalities -- but those advancements ultimately make us safer in the long run. The NTSB understands that viscerally. A lot fewer people will die on the world's highways because of this engineering achievement and the breakthroughs that are happening right now.
I really do believe that we are test pilots in this new frontier. Test piloting is not easy, and it really makes you sweat sometimes, but this experience will surely make you a better, safer driver, and every test drive that we do will make our cars better too. That's good for everyone -- drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike.
Everyone has their fingers crossed that the regulators don't do something stupid. If this becomes as politicized as public health has become, we're in real trouble. There are so many variables at play. We stand on the threshold of an open door that's blowing in the political wind -- and may be slammed in our faces.
I also want to thank all of you who have offered your observations and suggestions to help me learn. I really want to be the best FSD Beta tester that I can become, and I hope that you do too.
This advanced software, computing and sensor suite add an additional element of performance and safety that is really promising. It's teaching us to be better, more alert, and observant drivers. We're testing this software, and it is testing us as well. This is as serious as it gets, and the improvement of this software will lead to full autonomy -- for better or worse.
Automobile crashes happen every minute of every day, and the carnage on our highways is mostly caused by driver errors. We accept risk, and operate on a continuum of acceptable or unacceptable risks. FSD will never get intoxicated, fall asleep at the wheel, be distracted by a text message, or experience road rage. Many folks have posted that this is just like monitoring a student driver, and that is "spot on". Our cars are learning, and we must be good teachers, good mentors, and eventually good, honest judges of their performance.
To answer the OP's question, there surely have been "accidents" while driving on FSD Beta. Everyone knows that someone will die at some point in this process. Advancements in medicine, aeronautics, and technology are almost always accompanied by fatalities -- but those advancements ultimately make us safer in the long run. The NTSB understands that viscerally. A lot fewer people will die on the world's highways because of this engineering achievement and the breakthroughs that are happening right now.
I really do believe that we are test pilots in this new frontier. Test piloting is not easy, and it really makes you sweat sometimes, but this experience will surely make you a better, safer driver, and every test drive that we do will make our cars better too. That's good for everyone -- drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike.
Everyone has their fingers crossed that the regulators don't do something stupid. If this becomes as politicized as public health has become, we're in real trouble. There are so many variables at play. We stand on the threshold of an open door that's blowing in the political wind -- and may be slammed in our faces.
I also want to thank all of you who have offered your observations and suggestions to help me learn. I really want to be the best FSD Beta tester that I can become, and I hope that you do too.
