Break the rules for being part of the beta test group for Tesla’s Full Self-Driving technology and you may get a two-week time out from the company and CEO Elon Musk.
The new penalty is part of some new rules changes Tesla is implementing for participating in the second wave of “live” testing.
Formerly, drivers who consistently display inattention or remove their hands from the steering wheel would be locked out of the feature after some number of warnings. Once disabled, the lockout would persist until the next time the automaker reset the feature, which could happen within days or potentially not happen for months.
The release notes for the new test software state, “The FSD Beta feature can only be removed per this suspension method, and it will be unavailable for approximately two weeks.”
Tesla still requires that drivers maintain control of the car at all times, and stresses that the driver is still ultimately responsible.
Stickler for the rules
“Full Self-Driving is in early limited access Beta and must be used with additional caution,” the release notes state. “It may do the wrong thing at the worst time, so you must always keep your hands on the wheel and pay extra attention to the road. Do not become complacent. … Use Full Self-Driving in limited Beta only if you will pay constant attention to the road, and be prepared to act immediately, especially around blind corners, crossing intersections, and in narrow driving situations.”
Under the new rules, a driver can cause a forced autopilot disengagement by removing his or her hands from the wheel, or if an internal camera detects inattention. A forced disengagement disables FSD for the remainder of a trip after the driver receives several audio and visual warnings for inattentiveness.
When a given Tesla vehicle accumulates five forced disengagements, the feature will be disabled for the two week penalty period. The release notes specify “driver-initiated disengagements do not count as improper usage and are expected from the driver.”
In addition to the new driver-behavior rules, the release notes detail several additional changes, amounting to an upgrade to the object detection network that improves accuracy and precision, and reduces errors for vehicles, pedestrians and stationary objects under a variety of circumstances. Tesla’s FSD system is capable of driving decisions such as making lane changes off a highway, selecting forks to follow the navigation route, navigating around other vehicles and objects, and making left and right turns.
Tesla still embattled with government investigations
Tesla is continuing its customer-led beta testing in the face of substantial investigations from several government entities. Most recently, the government of South Korea announced that it would fine Tesla KR₩2.85 billion, an amount equal to $2.2 million for failing to disclose cold temperatures reduce the driving range of its vehicles. The Korean peninsula routinely sees cold winter weather comparable to the continental United States.
The company was also accused of false advertising by the state government of California for claims made about the capabilities of its Autopilot and FSD features. The DMV complaint made with California’s Office of Administrative Hearings contends Tesla “made or disseminated statements that are untrue or misleading, and not based on facts, in advertising vehicles as equipped, or potentially equipped, with advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) features.” Tesla customers have previously sued as a class in the state of California, alleging unrealized promises of self-driving capability.
Finally, the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating Tesla on the same issues as the California complaint. Justice Dept. investigators are probing “whether Tesla misled consumers, investors, and regulators by making unsupported claims about its driver assistance technology’s capabilities.” The Federal investigation could potentially include criminal as well as civil charges.