I just returned from my first drive on the 10.3 Beta. Before driving I removed the USB stick. I made a 30 mile round trip, and I was never unintentionally disconnected from FSD.
Some Observations:
- For this being a Beta release, I was VERY impressed. With that said, I do live in a very rural area, and I drove it into destinations in my closest town which has a population of around 10K.
- When turning left onto a state highway, it was nearly 1 car length back from the intersection, and it started to make a very sharp left-hand turn, wanting to cross into the oncoming lane. There was no traffic, but I'm not sure whether it could have seen that to properly determine it was safe due to vegetation on the right, but perhaps it could since it's view might have been better than mine.
- It did tend to slow its speed about 3 MPH for no reason I could see while driving at about 50 MPH; however, regenerative braking was used so there was is no wear and tear on the brake pads when it does this.
- When the speed limit changes to a lower speed, the slow-down is really smooth and natural; the driver seldom can detect the reduction in speed it is so gradual. The previous AP would use regenerative braking to quickly reduce speed.
- When coming to an intersection, the car slows much more gradually than the previous AP.
- There isa particular stretch of road at an intersection that the old AP never got right; it would, for some reason, always want to turn left. The FSD handled it perfectly.
- It prefers to hug the center line, but when it sees an oncoming car, it quickly moves over to the center, and as soon as the oncoming vehicle passes, it quickly moves back near the center line.
- When existing off one highway onto another, it tends to hug the center line, even cross over the center line of the road it is turning onto- as long as it sees no oncoming traffic. When it does see a car at the intersection or an approaching vehicle, it takes the turn more aggressively, staying it its turning lane, but again, as soon as it passes that vehicle, it begins to once again hug the center line.
- There is one intersection with no lines but the road's plane separated by the intersection is located roughly 40 feet off center, such than one must perform an "S" inside the intersection in order to continue. This freaked out the FSD, as it did me the first time I drove that stretch of road trying to determine what to do! I hit the video button, but I'm not sure whether anything can be done about certain bizarre instances. If it does over time, this will be a clear sign that it is learning! HA!
Keeping in mind this software is only a Beta, I have to give it a solid "A". The fact that it can do as well as it does is amazing, performing this well in environments it has never been in before. It is such a pleasure to get to be a tiny part of this!
I will be taking it to Tampa tomorrow for a a couple of days (400 mile road trip) with roughly 50% of the trip being on Interstate. I'm looking forward to see how well it performs under those conditions!
Although I suppose, it may just be a testament to your wife being a REALLY, REALLY bad driver.
teslamotorsclub.com
), and keep track of all cars around me all times.
