Tesla Inc TSLA has reportedly deployed version 12 of its full self-driving (FSD) software to non-employee drivers, almost two months after its internal launch to employees.
Contrary to previous assurances by CEO Elon Musk, the update is still labeled ‘Beta,’ contrary to his claim that v12 would not be beta but instead confer full autonomy to Tesla vehicles. Musk’s announcement has stirred controversy, especially after the update was found to be tagged with the ‘Beta’ designation.
The journey of FSD V12 started with its release to employees in late November which has now extended to non-employee drivers.
Tesla is yet to address Benzinga‘s request for a comment.
Significance: Tesla’s FSD remains in beta phase, necessitating active driver supervision. Musk’s earlier promise regarding V12 not being in beta and achieving full autonomy has added fervor among enthusiasts and investors. Musk’s assertions about v12 being dependent on an end-to-end neural network have stoked anticipation. He estimated at the 2023 World Artificial Intelligence Conference that they are very close to achieving full self-driving capability while humbly acknowledging his past misjudgments.
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