Second thoughts on FSD

[ivangr]

I can't stop thinking about FSD

I know it's weak at the moment in the UK. I know there might be sales on it in the future. I've been getting lease quotes and it is a straight up £200 uplift on my monthly price, so there is no perceived value in it in terms of residuals.

But, there's the quote about the price going up on August 16th. I find that hard to believe given how expensive it already is in the UK relative to its useable featureset, but nevertheless it is a threat. There's the cost of adding it later, apparently its over £7k if it's post-sale?

I don't often use motorways, so NoA will seldom get used. I don't think I'd trust auto-park with kerbs and the Performance 20" wheels. Summon is a nice gimmick but I can't see myself using it regularly, as the car won't be parked in a garage (currently).

So why can't I stop thinking about it? Why am I even considering paying £200 extra for a feature that I can pretty much just show off to people, but I don't derive any immediate (and possibly not before end of lease) benefit?

How likely is it really that it will go down significantly in price in a sale?

Right so here is my take on it.

I was driving in my wife's Prius Plus the other night. Crossing the Queensferry Crossing, traffic going about 20-30mph. I indicated to change lane, as I was checking my blind stop and initiating the turn then the guy in front of me suddenly stopped. The Prius' collision indicator went beep beep beep and I slammed the brakes. The guy in front of me stopped his car a car length's short of the next car so he could read his phone. I nearly crashed into the back of him and the Prius' very basic safety assists help avoid it.

That's why I added FSD. There are already lots of stats showing that driving with Autopilot on improves safety. If FSD, even in a partially complete form, adds to that then I'll take it. I want access to anything that could potentially make the journey of me and my family safer (even if in the EU it doesn't turn out to be full FSD for a while.)

I also need to add I have some faith in Elon Musk. The reusable rockets, mass EV adoption etc, he does have a track record of delivering the "impossible".

 

[RjbT3]

That said, FSD may not be the only order from Tesla being cancelled if latest delays are true.

What latest delays?

 

[MrBadger]

What latest delays?

4 - 6 week more wait for VIN allocation P3+, Black on Black + FSD orderers. Who knows what the circumstances are but hardly seems an out of the ordinary order.

 

[Peteski]

Challenge accepted. I will most definitely follow-up with you @Peteski my friend. I do hope I prove you wrong and come back telling you it was the best £5k option I have ever spent on a car. Of course, we will most likely still disagree but I look forward to the debate when I can come from a position of experience. That is, of you haven't convinced me to cancel the option right before delivery, whenever that may be.

That said though, the rest of the Which? review read like it was written by someone on the payroll OPEC.

Isn't it effectively a £6k option after the price changes? Or £5k at the offer price, but then you pay more for the base spec?
Either way, my £6k saving is going on a nice new high end mountain bike with a bit of change left over. FSD over basic AP is not worth more than £500 IMHO. Luckily I can make an informed decision as I'm currently living and breathing FSD on my MX. It's good, but not that good and more importantly it offers very little over the basic free AP.

 

[Peteski]

Right so here is my take on it.

I was driving in my wife's Prius Plus the other night. Crossing the Queensferry Crossing, traffic going about 20-30mph. I indicated to change lane, as I was checking my blind stop and initiating the turn then the guy in front of me suddenly stopped. The Prius' collision indicator went beep beep beep and I slammed the brakes. The guy in front of me stopped his car a car length's short of the next car so he could read his phone. I nearly crashed into the back of him and the Prius' very basic safety assists help avoid it.

That's why I added FSD. There are already lots of stats showing that driving with Autopilot on improves safety. If FSD, even in a partially complete form, adds to that then I'll take it. I want access to anything that could potentially make the journey of me and my family safer (even if in the EU it doesn't turn out to be full FSD for a while.)

I also need to add I have some faith in Elon Musk. The reusable rockets, mass EV adoption etc, he does have a track record of delivering the "impossible".

All Teslas have EAB as standard, FSD doesn't make any difference in that scenario.

 

[M3winEVwin]

Does basic summon works fine? Looks like some people are having difficulty with the system aborting.

I was very very keen on FSD but the more I read or watch video about it, the more I think it is not wise to add this option.
The EU restrictions are the biggest drawback which could potentially completely slowdown or even ban any futur improvement.

I didn’t agree with peteski on FSD initially but now I do.

 

[FEERSUMENDJIN]

FSD only sensible on cars purchased not leased. Need big user base to pressurise EU and their BMW/VW supporting laws.

EU laws : Did anybody mention Brexit? It will be iPACES and those fantastic EV minis all round (given out free by Boris) after brexit in our glorious isolated isles

 

[RjbT3]

Boris should put the UK forward to apply to Tesla for the European Giga factory! Aren't we USA's BFF now?!

 

[Peteski]

Boris should put the UK forward to apply to Tesla for the European Giga factory! Aren't we USA's BFF now?!

Cool. They could call it the "Little Britain Giga-factory".

 

[Peteski]

Does basic summon works fine? Looks like some people are having difficulty with the system aborting.

I've never actually used Summon on my car, but I believe it works (as in shuffles the car back and forth). What puts me off using it is the number of reported incidents where it has apparently driven itself into garage doors and walls when it glitches. Given the number of random software bugs in this car, I can well believe it would be just a matter of time before it went horribly wrong.

 

[Durzel]

Well that's the problem, all this stuff is beta. Same with auto-park. Would be sod's law that the first time you use Auto Park is to show off to your mates, and they get to watch your face as the car scrapes the wheels down the kerb.

 

[Peteski]

Well that's the problem, all this stuff is beta. Same with auto-park. Would be sod's law that the first time you use Auto Park is to show off to your mates, and they get to watch your face as the car scrapes the wheels down the kerb.

I do use auto-park actually, but with my foot hovering over the brake pedal. It actually works well for parallel parking, although leaves your car a bit too far off the kerb than I would like. For perpendicular parking I find it too slow to be of any practical use.

None of this stuff is worth spending serious money on IMO. I'm still completely blown away by how easily people are parting with £6k (or hundreds of £ per month on lease) for the novelty of FSD on these cars. I admit it's actually quite fun to play with, but for me the novelty has long since worn off. Don't forget, basic AP is actually pretty cool too and more in-line with its real life capabilities. EAP was the best option when it was available, as it gave full current FSD functionality for a lot less money.

 

[Roy W.]

Boris should put the UK forward to apply to Tesla for the European Giga factory! Aren't we USA's BFF now?!

They could probably use the old DeLorean factory in Northern Ireland

 

[MacJester]

I’ve just placed my lease order for M3, and was really unsure about whether to get FSD - particularly after Elon said they were going to put up the price by a grand because Summon might kinda work properly. In the end I decided that while it wasn’t worth it for now, the coming update for driving on city streets probably would make it a valid choice and took the plunge. Fingers crossed the update will actually be released before I have to give the car back in three years!

 

[Durzel]

Anyone know if the upcoming August 16th price rise for FSD applies to the UK as well, bearing in mind the limitations we've currently got with it?

 

[zayn]

just been watching this guy's videos happy not too have paid for FSD.

 

[Durzel]

Pretty clickbaity title though. If you watch the video it mounts the kerb, it doesn't "curb" it in the sense that everyone takes it to mean, as well the video author knows. I thought the car did alright in the various tests he did, and it's not like Auto Park is really its party piece.

 

[ProfessorK]

It doesn't recognise roundabouts or traffic lights so it's a *fart noise* from me, chief. I'll stick with Autopilot.

 

[zayn]

good FSD test here in the UK , still would not pay 5,800

 

[MrBadger]

I wouldn’t pay for performance either. At least FSD will get better with time. Always something new to look forward to with each update. The novelty of acceleration soon wears off especially when you don’t have a safe place to use it. The places where you can use FSD features will become more and more widespread.
Thankfully both are options so we can choose as we like and even better, you can add FSD at any time or remove it prior to delivery so no rash decisions need to be made.