Video #36 - Tesla - FSD Beta 10.6.1 - NE Minneapolis Test Loop (Day)
This video contains footage recorded on the afternoon of December 19th, 2021 of FSD Beta 10.6.1 driving me around a test loop that I came up with in Northeast Minneapolis. I will be doing this drive after each release with the goal of testing for improvements as well as regressions (daytime & nighttime). My current thoughts of FSD Beta 10.6.1 so far can be found here:
Positive / Improvements
- Improved Confidence When Turning Onto Busier Roads - The car seems to be more confident when turning left or right onto busy roads.
- Better Path Selection On Tight Left Turns - The car is noticeably better at line selection on left turns with a late apex.
- Yield Behavior Before Turn Much Improved - The car does a much better job at smoothly yielding to approaching traffic by creeping forward until it is safe to turn. In previous builds the car would notoriously jam on the brakes and surprise following traffic.
- Faster Handling Of Traffic Light Transitions - FSD does a noticeably better job in 10.6 of handling traffic light transitions as it approaches an intersection.
- Smoother Deceleration When Approaching Slower or Turning Traffic - The car does a noticeably better job of decelerating when it reaches slower or turning vehicles.
- Smoother Pedestrian Reactions - The car does a much better job of slowly coming to a stop as it comes up on pedestrians crossing an intersection. Before the car would be noticeably more jerky with brake inputs and would unnerve following traffic.
- Snow Covered Roads - The car seems to do a pretty decent job of handling fully snow covered roads.
Needs Work
- Merging - It is apparent Tesla tried something new in regards to merging with FSD Beta 10.5 & 10.6 it is unusable in its current state. The car will quickly alternate between accelerating and decelerating until you are nearly car sick. This issue is apparently addressed in FSD Beta 10.7.
- Jaywalking Pedestrians - After detecting jaywalking pedestrians the car will abruptly slam on the brakes, even if they have a low probability of crossing our planned path. This issue also appears to be addressed in FSD Beta 10.7.
- Planner Behavior w/ Partially Snow Covered Roads - When curbs are partially snow covered the car tends to stay too closely to them resulting in numerous disengagements.
- Decision Making Re: Approaching Traffic - The car still seems to struggle with determine how fast oncoming traffic is accelerating and quickly making decisions on whether to yield or initiate a turn.
- Side Visibility With Approaching Traffic - While detection of laterally approaching traffic seems to have been improved in 10.6 it still remains a problem area for FSD Beta and requires further attention.
- Behavior When Light Transitions From Yellow To Red - When crossing an intersection the car still will sometimes slam on the brakes when the light changes from yellow to red even if you are already 90% through the intersection.
- Use Of Short Turn Lanes - As was the case with FSD Beta 10.2 - 10.5, the car still fails to use shorter turn lanes confusing surrounding drivers.
- Transition From 1 to 2 Lanes - After crossing an intersection where the road transitions from 1 to 2 lanes (same direction) the car will abruptly move to the right-most lane. This behavior surprises surrounding traffic and has resulted in numerous disengagements.
- Sweeping Lines - When turning left at a busy intersection, the car should avoid using a sweeping line and instead take a more point & shoot approach. Aligning itself to either the painted inside line or the curb would help make the car's intent more predictable.
- Wide Unmarked Roads - The car still likes to position itself in the center of wider unmarked roads even with oncoming traffic. If cars are not parked on the shoulder of the direction we are traveling the car should bias itself more towards the curb vs dead center in the entire road.
- Auto High Beam Usage - Needs attention as the car likes to flash other drivers & pedestrians especially in well lit urban environments.
- Some 3-way & 4-way Stops Still A Problem - At several 3-way or 4-way stops near me the car will always overly hesitate even when there are no cars present (and visibility is clear).
- Out of date maps - Need I say more at this point?
00:00 - Intro
00:56 - Possible Improvement - Faster Handling Of Particular 4-way Stop In 10.5 & 10.6
01:22 - Disengagement - FSD Stays Too Close To Partially Snow Covered Curb
01:38 - Confirmed Improvement - Increased Confidence w/ Left Turn Onto 37th Ave NE
02:12 - Mapping Issue - Car Incorrectly Attempts To Use Turn-Only Lane
02:33 - Disengagement - Planner Gets Confused For No Apparent Reason
03:31 - Possible Improvement - Perfect Handling Of Previously Problematic 4-way Stop
04:03 - Disengagement - FSD Again Stays Too Close To Partially Snow Covered Curb
04:42 - Disengagement - Navigation Fail On Driver’s Part
05:04 - Persistent Issue - FSD Gets Confused With Approaching Car & Abruptly Stops Right Turn
05:59 - Mapping Issue - Planner Continues To Get Confused On This Particular Road
06:40 - Disengagement - Planner Gets Confused And Car Strays Too Much Toward Center Line
06:57 - Disengagement - Planner Again Gets Confused And Car Strays Too Much Towards Center Line
07:28 - Disengagement - Persistent Issue Where Car Does Not Stay Close Enough To Right Curb
07:57 - FSD Performing Smooth Left Turn
08:26 - Confirmed Improvement - Smoother Handling Of Approaching Traffic When Making Left Turn
09:11 - Confirmed Improvement - Human-like Handling Of Traffic Light Transition When Approaching Intersection
09:58 - Disengagement - FSD Not Yielding To Approaching Traffic
10:40 - Mapping Issue - Car Will Not Proceed On Green
11:17 - Disengagement - Planner Incorrectly Attempts To Use Bike Lane
12:16 - Possible Improvement - Better Handling Of Left Turn w/ Late Apex
12:54 - Mapping Issue - Car Incorrectly Attempts To Use Right Lane (Parking)
13:46 - Disengagement - Planner Again Gets Confused By Partially Snow Covered Road
14:42 - Disengagement - More Planner Issues Where Car Refuses To Use Turn Lane
15:24 - Great Job Yielding To Crossing Pedestrian Before Making Smooth Right Turn
15:58 - Possible Improvement - Car No Longer Hits Brakes For Disabled Bridge Light
16:42 - Confirmed Improvement - FSD Much Smoother When Approaching Turning Cars From Behind
17:43 - Excellent Cone Detection Even w/ Partially Snow Covered Road
18:08 - Confirmed Improvement - Another Example Of Improved Handling Of Approaching Traffic When Making Left Turn
18:51 - Confirmed Improvement - Improved Confidence w/ Rolling Stop At Empty 4-way Stop
19:06 - Issue - FSD Incorrectly Visualizes Snow Covered Shoulder As Drivable Lane
19:22 - Car Continues To Excel w/ Left Turn At This Particular 4-way Stop
20:14 - Possible Improvement - Car More Quickly Proceeds At Previously Problematic 4-way Stop
21:06 - FSD Confidently Turning Right On Red
21:47 - Persistent Issue - Bad Line Selection Puts Us On Slippery Road Surface
22:11 - Disengagement - Avoiding Small Tree Branch
22:32 - Persistent Issue - FSD Overly Hesitates At Empty 3-way Stop