Tesla updated its roadmap today for the Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, marking a significant step in its autonomous driving ambitions.
The automaker plans to launch FSD in the Cybertruck later this month, with a more advanced version 13 update set for October.
Tesla also aims to expand FSD into Europe and China by the first quarter of next year, though this will hinge on securing regulatory approval.
The long-awaited Cybertruck has been delivered to customers for over nine months, but its rollout lacked some key features, including FSD and basic Autopilot capabilities like lane-keeping.
Starting in September, Tesla will begin equipping Cybertrucks with these features, starting with Autopark, allowing the truck to automatically park itself in visible spots, both in lots and on streets.
A major development on Tesla’s refreshed FSD roadmap is the planned expansion into European and Chinese markets, which has already lifted Tesla’s share price, according to Reuters.
The automaker has faced challenges in the European Union, where strict safety regulations require pre-approval before new automotive technologies can be deployed.
Tesla is optimistic but must demonstrate that its FSD system can match or exceed human driver safety standards, which it believes it has achieved. However, in the U.S., FSD and Autopilot have been involved in hundreds of crashes and linked to multiple fatalities.
In China, Tesla began the regulatory approval process earlier this year to conduct internal testing for FSD. While a less advanced version of FSD is already available to Chinese customers, competition is heating up as domestic automakers develop their own self-driving technologies, including vision-based systems.
Tesla’s upcoming v12 update is expected to further validate its camera-only approach to self-driving. The company is already discussing the release of v13 in October, which promises a sixfold improvement in the distance traveled between driver interventions.
Alongside this, Tesla recently introduced the "Actually Smart Summon" (ASS) feature, allowing vehicles to navigate parking lots autonomously.
Additional updates, such as improved eye-tracking capabilities for drivers wearing sunglasses and new park, unpark, and reverse functions, are also slated for release in the coming months.
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