With the release of Tesla Full Self-Driving V12 (12.3.3 and up), the company has officially removed the beta designation, replacing it with “supervised.” This new Tesla FSD V12 version has been hailed as a significant advancement, moving closer to the fully autonomous driving experience that Elon Musk promised years ago.
However, considering the history of missed deadlines and unfulfilled promises, one can’t help but wonder: Is Tesla Full Self-Driving V12 truly a major improvement? In this review, we dive into the features, performance, and overall effectiveness of this latest iteration to see if it lives up to the hype and finally delivers on its ambitious promises.
What Does Supervised FSD Mean?
So what does “Supervised” self-driving actually mean? Despite the name change, it doesn’t signify that FSD is out of beta. To me, this is just more marketing misdirection. This is evident from the FSD dashboard on the screen and the waivers you have to click through, indicating that it remains a use at your own risk product.
In typical Tesla fashion, “Supervised” self-driving does not equate to true full autonomy. As the term suggests, this “full” self-driving still requires driver awareness and interaction, essentially supervision. This can indeed be a bit confusing, as it, again, implies a level of autonomy that isn’t entirely accurate.
What’s new with Tesla FSD V12?
As per Tesla, FSD V12 introduces several notable advancements aimed at improving the overall driving experience and moving closer to full autonomy. Here’s what’s new with Tesla FSD V12:
Enhanced Neural Networks
FSD V12 leverages more advanced neural networks to better interpret and respond to driving environments. This enhancement improves the system’s ability to handle complex scenarios and make safer driving decisions.
Improved Object Recognition
Tesla FSD v12 features significant improvements in object recognition. This allows the system to more accurately identify and react to vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and other obstacles on the road.
Better Decision-Making Algorithms
Tesla has refined the decision-making algorithms in FSD V12, enabling more natural and human-like driving behaviours. This includes smoother lane changes, better handling of intersections, and more intuitive responses to traffic signals and road signs.
Enhanced Mapping and Localization
FSD V12 incorporates more detailed and up-to-date mapping data, improving the vehicle’s ability to navigate unfamiliar areas. Enhanced localization techniques also ensure more precise positioning on the road.
Increased Safety Features
The new version includes additional safety features designed to further minimize the risk of accidents. These enhancements provide better monitoring of driver attention and improved emergency handling capabilities.
More Seamless User Interface
The user interface has been updated to offer a more intuitive and seamless experience. This includes clearer visualizations on the FSD dashboard and easier access to key features and settings.
Expanded Driving Scenarios
FSD V12 is capable of handling a broader range of driving scenarios, including complex urban environments, highway merging, and unprotected left turns. This expansion aims to provide a more reliable and versatile autonomous driving experience.
Continuous Learning and Updates
Tesla continues to utilize real-world data to improve FSD V12. The system is designed to learn from each driving experience, with regular updates that incorporate new insights and improvements.
Supervised Autonomy
While not fully autonomous, FSD V12 introduces the concept of “supervised” self-driving. This means that while the vehicle can perform most driving tasks, driver supervision is still required to ensure safety and compliance with current regulations.
Overall, Tesla FSD V12 represents a significant step forward in the journey towards fully autonomous driving, offering enhanced capabilities, improved safety, and a more refined user experience.
What I liked and Didn’t Like With Tesla FSD v12
As noted in my initial FSD review after using it on a three month coast-to-coast road trip, there wasn’t a lot of positives to report. Out side of autolane changing, I struggled to keep it engaged.
The oversensitive alert system resulted in me disabling the feature while on the highway. Regular autopilot nag was less sensitive which I guess makes sense? I was put in FSD jail for a large chunk of my trip which also annoyed me into turning off the feauture.
That said, one feature I truly loved was the auto lane change. The ability to signal and let the car do its thing was a surprisingly great feature. I wish I could just pay for it specifically. This remains the same with Tesla V 12 FSD and is smoother and more response than ever.
Pros of Tesla full self driving v12
Aside from auto lane change, let’s start with what I liked about Tesla FSD V12. Here are the improvements I noticed:
Intelligent Lane Selection
One of the standout features of Tesla FSD V12 is its intelligent lane selection. For instance, when approaching an intersection with an advancing green left turn that was congested, the system opted to take the right lane, effectively bypassing the traffic buildup. This demonstrated a significant improvement in the system’s ability to anticipate and react to traffic conditions, making for a smoother and more efficient driving experience.
Smart Overtaking
Another notable enhancement is FSD V12’s capability to maneuver around slower vehicles. In one instance, while I was driving in the left lane behind a slow-moving dump truck and planning to turn left up ahead, the system decided to move around the truck, presumably because it calculated that we could safely overtake and still make the turn. This smart decision-making highlights the system’s improved situational awareness and ability to make more human-like driving choices.
Enhanced Parking Abilities
Parking has seen substantial improvements in FSD V12. The updated version parks much faster and more accurately compared to previous iterations. Whether it’s parallel parking or backing into a spot, the system handles the task with greater speed and precision. This enhancement not only saves time but also reduces the stress of parking in tight or busy areas.
Smoother Navigation Through Complex Scenarios
FSD V12 shows a marked improvement in handling complex driving scenarios. The enhanced neural networks and decision-making algorithms allow the system to navigate urban environments, highway merges, and tricky intersections more fluidly. This results in a less jerky and more confident driving performance, which is closer to how a human driver would handle these situations.
Cons of Tesla full self driving v12
While Tesla FSD V12 brings many improvements, there is still a lot of white knuckle and “oh shit” moments. Here are the cons I noticed:
Risky Maneuvers
One of the most concerning issues with Tesla FSD V12 is its propensity to attempt risky maneuvers. On two occasions, the system almost drove me into oncoming traffic. The first time, it misinterpreted a normal 90° turn with a road that veered off at an angle on the map. The car started to drive across the road as a car was approaching, highlighting a severe flaw in its situational awareness and decision-making process.
Limited Forward Planning
Although I praised the ability to make some interesting overtaking maneuvers, at large, the system’s inability to plan far enough ahead is another significant issue. This was particularly noticeable on the highway when navigating through traffic. For example, when an exit was approaching, the system failed to move into the appropriate lane in time, resulting in last-minute lane changes.
In one specific instance, I was in a lane that split into two left-turn lanes, even though I needed to go straight. The system did not move to the far right lane until it was almost too late, and it didn’t signal when it started to change lanes, which was both unsafe and unexpected.
Handling of Flashing Green Lights
The handling of flashing green lights poses a unique problem, particularly in regions like British Columbia. In this area, flashing green lights indicate uncontrolled pedestrian crosswalks, unlike in other places where they might signify an advance green signal. FSD V12 seems to treat these lights incorrectly, jerking cautiously through intersections and requiring manual intervention.
This flaw necessitates constant driver oversight, particularly in neighborhoods with frequent flashing green lights, like mine. Despite the prevalence of Teslas in Vancouver, it is surprising that this issue remains unresolved in this version.
Poor Signalling Behavior
Another issue is the inconsistent use of turn signals. The system sometimes shifts lanes without signaling, which can be both confusing and dangerous for other drivers. This lack of proper signaling behavior undermines the safety and reliability of the FSD system, especially in busy traffic conditions.
I witnessed this in an Uber in Montreal as well. I convinced the driver to turn on his free FSD trial and then joked that it was a true Montreal driver when the car failed to signal and cut people off.
So, Is Tesla FSD V12 Worth It?
As you can see, outside of auto park and auto lane change, I’m still not fully convinced about using Tesla FSD V12. While it offers some exciting features and can be fun to experiment with, it still has its fair share of “oh no” moments that impact overall confidence in the system.
Despite the recent price reduction, purchasing FSD V12 outright still does not seem worth it, in my opinion. However, the lowered subscription price offers a more attractive option, especially for those who commute daily or want to use it specifically for road trips.
Personally, I plan to sign up for the subscription for my upcoming summer trip to the Yukon and Alaska. This approach provides flexibility without requiring a full purchase, making it a practical choice for those looking to enhance their driving experience without a long-term commitment.
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