Tesla, Musk complete ‘full self driving' tests on Australian roads
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Tesla's 'full self driving' feature looks set to hit Australia following successful tests on local roads.
The EV giant published a video on X.com of a Tesla Model 3 with prototype software successful negotiating busy streets in inner-city Melbourne.
It even nailed the 'hook turn' that frustrates interstate travellers.
The brand's country director for Australia, Thom Drew, says an expansion of Tesla's driverless features is high on Elon Musk's list of priorities.
'That's Elon's push,' Drew said.
'We have a global engineering team that are working across markets around a lot of FSD… actively working across all our markets to roll it out.'
MORE:Bad news for electric vehicles in Australia
MORE:Huge blow for Musk as Tesla dream hits wall
Autonomous driving is a key pillar of investment for Tesla. Having introduced its 'Autopilot' driver assistance system more than a decade ago, Tesla doubled down on 'full self driving' in the US.
The feature has been controversial, linked to a number of serious accidents and recalls.
It has not stopped Tesla from investing heavily in autonomous taxi services due to hit the US in the near future.
Drew said there is no regulatory barrier to the technology hitting Australian roads – only local calibration and finessing of the service.
MORE:Musk's bombshell announcement, Tesla sinks
Tesla tests full self driving (FSD) technology in Melbourne, Australia. Picture: Supplied
MORE:76pc drop: Major nation abandons Tesla
'There's currently no blockers in Australia to releasing the self driving supervised, as we have in North America,' he said.
'It's something our business is working on releasing, I don't have a timeline currently for you, but it's certainly very exciting to be able to bring that to a market that doesn't have a regulatory blocker.'
Tesla's video featuring the hook turn was well-received by followers on X, who recognised that the hook turn 'is the most annoying and scary thing about driving in the Melbourne CBD'.
Originally published as Tesla, Musk complete 'full self driving' tests on Australian roads
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