Tesla is touting version 10.12 of its Full Self-Driving software as being significant because it brings a whole host of improvements and new features. The big thing with this update seems to be the boost in confidence that Tesla has given it, as well “reduced traffic control related false slowdowns,” this of course referring to the Phantom Braking phenomenon that many FSD users have reported.
Even just an improvement on this last issue would be a significant development for those who use Tesla FSD, but Tesla seems to be pointing to the extra confidence as being the biggest step forward made with this update. We counted some 20 bullet points in the lengthy release notes for this new version and now that users are getting to experience it, first impressions seem positive.
The new graphics and animations do make a difference: the vehicle now shows you details like vehicles’ brake lights coming on in front of you or car doors being opened. The system also handles showing bicyclists and pedestrians differently now too, and the system is better able to tell if a vehicle is parked or just in traffic.
Based on videos we’ve seen of people trying out FSD Beta version 10.12.1, the confidence boost is certainly visible in many typical situations. One thing we noticed in several videos, but especially in the one by Dirty Tesla, is that when the vehicle turns, even when it goes around a 90-degree turn, there is a lot less sawing at the wheel – it certainly looks more confident.
It’s still not as smooth as a skilled human in the same situation, but now the simple act of turning in a Tesla running FSD is less dramatic and disconcerting for passengers. In the video by Whole Mars Catalog, when the vehicle encounters a stopped Amazon van blocking the lane, the way it goes around the obstacle was really impressive, peeking around the van and waiting for the oncoming car to stop before going around the van.
Originally published at https://insideevs.com/news/587285/tesla-fst-version-10-12-significant-improvements/
