How good is Tesla's self-driving feature? Watch it avoid an alligator
What would your first reaction be if you saw an alligator cross the road while driving? Imagine this scenario while the car is driving itself. Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) feature was put to the test when a Tesla driver encountered a huge alligator strutting across lanes.
Full-Self Driving (Supervised) is a semi-autonomous driving feature that can stop, go, and steer without interactions from a driver as long as the user is attentive. This feature is far from infallible, but some Tesla owners are posting videos of it skillfully avoiding collisions.
Tesla brakes for alligator while in Full-Self Driving (Supervised) mode
Tesla's FSD (Supervised) feature uses cameras, radars, and ultrasonic sensors to brake when it detects an obstacle in its path, protecting both occupants and pedestrians. Tesla took to X to ask drivers to post their own experiences using the feature to avoid accidents on July 15 and the ensuing videos in response to the post are surprising.
In the clip above, a Tesla comes to a dead stop when an alligator crosses its path while in FSD (Supervised) mode. Thankfully, the EV detected the gator and neither its occupants or the scaly creature were hurt. The clip demonstrates that even an animal with as unique of a body shape as an alligator is detectable via Tesla's semi-autonomous driving mode.
This clip was far from the only video posted in response to Tesla's request for dashcam footage. Another Tesla driver posted a clip of a Tesla Cybertruck coming to a complete stop, yielding to jaywalking pedestrians and ignoring a green light. Additionally, another video shows an EV stopping for a hopping bunny rabbit using the semi-autonomous driving mode.
The Tesla X post has over 800 comments and Tesla drivers posted hundreds of videos in response to the company's request. While many of these videos show how safe FSD (Supervised) can be, others displayed major issues with the feature.
Not all Tesla drivers have positive semi-autonomous driving experiences
Some Tesla drivers have responded to Tesla's X post with videos of the EV's semi-autonomous driving feature causing unnecessary mishaps. One clip shows a Tesla backing up into a poll while self-parking.
The video above shows a near miss as a Tesla almost drives straight into a gated HOV lane. A lawsuit against Tesla involving the semi-autonomous driving tech is going to trial in Florida, according to NPR. Elon Musk responded to criticism of the feature saying "the only people who are skeptical are those who have not tried it" in a Tesla Q4 2024 shareholder meeting.
Is Tesla's Full-Self Driving (Supervised) feature safe?
The Tesla Model 3 electric sedan's owner's manual notes that "Full-Self Driving (Supervised) is a hands-on feature" meaning that drivers should not allow the EV to drive without constantly monitoring it. The manual also notes that a failure to follow all warnings and instructions can "result in property damage, serious injury or death".
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating Tesla's FSD software after four reports of crashes, according to Reuters. So, Tesla's FSD feature isn't definitively unsafe, but it's under investigation and some drivers have experienced crashes while using the feature.
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