Elon Musk finally livestreamed the much-anticipated Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) beta V12 on X, check out the video from Elon X page. During the demo, Musk highlighted improvements in the latest V12 autonomous driving software update.
Driving a Model S equipped with HW3 hardware, Musk demonstrated the FSD beta v12 navigating dense urban roads. To prove the car wasn’t following a set route, Musk randomly marked waypoints throughout the drive.
According to Musk, the FSD v12 software relies entirely on neural nets processing camera and sensor data. He said no hand-coded instructions tell it how to handle complex scenarios like roundabouts or construction cones. No hard-code, completely learning on its own, end to end world model full self-driving, video to neural network to controls.
During the drive, the FSD beta v12 smoothly navigated intersections, changed lanes, and made unprotected left turns. Musk emphasized it successfully handled a parking lot without relying on maps.
Tesla FSD Beta will move out of Beta stage with version 12, Maybe also move from Autopilot and NOA?
However, one minor intervention was required when the car failed to go straight at an intersection. Musk attributed this to a regression in the model requiring more training data.
Overall, Musk seemed pleased with the progress, stating it would be a 5-star ride if the car was an Uber. He noted the parking lot navigation and smooth highway merging were especially impressive.
While still requiring supervision and tweaks, the demo showed Tesla’s autonomous driving tech continues maturing. Musk aims to compile enough real-world testing to launch consumer robotaxis in 2024.
If Tesla keeps executing, an autonomous ride-hailing network could transform urban transportation. But for now, Musk is focused on incremental FSD V12 improvements through data gathering and beta iterations.