t Tesla’s last week Cybercab and Robotaxi event, Elon Musk who is also the CEO stated that he is planning to release some Tesla models (Model 3 and Model Y)
vehicles an “unsupervised” version of the FSD, in Texas and California starting in 2025.
Elon Musk also said in his statement that the production for the Robotaxis and Cybercab is scheduled to begin by 2026 or 2027. We are entitled to be a little bit skeptical about this timeline that Musk gave in his statement, but we should be more concerned about this unsupervised FSD and the Robotaxis that does not require any human controls.
What Exactly Is “Unsupervised FSD”?
FSD represents the “Full Self-Driving” feature but for now, this new tech does not have the power to be fully autonomous it can execute some automated driving tasks in different environments such as highways and cities.
fter numerous accusations of false advertising on the name, Elon Musk’s Tesla company decided in April to change the branding from FSD Beta to FSD Supervised. Analysts believe that this name is more accurate and reflects the idea that all human drivers must be alert behind the wheel and prepare to take over if the situation requires it.
Tesla announced that is planning to launch the unsupervised version of this expensive software in California and Texas starting next year. But Leon Mush didn’t offer more details if this will be just a wireless update or if it will require customers to pay to have the advanced new tech.
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Regarding the driving regulations, Texas laws allow companies to test autonomous vehicles with or without a human driver on condition that the vehicle must comply with both traffic and motor vehicle laws and has a recording device along with motor vehicle liability insurance.
But things in California are a little bit different since Elon Musk’s Tesla does not have driverless testing or a deployment permit.
“If Tesla plans to expand its permitted test fleet in California, Tesla would be required to identify the vehicles being tested (year, make, model, etc) and apply to add the new vehicles to their permit. They would also need to update the permit with drivers performing the tests.”, the information office at the CA DMV, Chris Orrok stated for TechCrunch.
Also, its Robotaxi is most likely to violate federal safety standards. Even if the deadline for mass production is 3 years from now in 2027, it remains to be seen if Elon Musk will hit the deadline.
Even if this is true, the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, also known as FMVSS, will probably try to delay production since these vehicles are designed to have no steering wheel and pedals.
So, if Elon Musk’s Tesla wants to mass-produce the newest vehicle, the company will need to obtain an exemption from the FMVSS. Until now, NHTSA confirmed that the company has not yet applied for any exemptions for the driverless Cybercab and Robotaxi.
It is known that the NHTSA ( National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) has given just an exemption for Nuro to manufacture the R2 low-speed autonomous vehicles since they are not designed to transport human passengers.
The lack of clarity in regulations, the Tesla FSD progress, and its market strategy have raised some concerns for investors after last week’s Cybercab and Robotaxi event which caused Tesla's stock to drop almost 10% and remain below recovery.
By
Adam Brown
•
October 16, 2024 10:10 PM
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