As Tesla rolls out a new beta test of its Full Self Driving driver assistance technology, San Francisco transportation authorities have raised concerns about the system’s safety.
“We are concerned about the safety record of this service and the name of the service as it could be confusing for consumers, and hope DMV, FTC and NHTSA continue to monitor and analyze this issue to protect consumers and the traveling public,” Tilly Chang, executive director of the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA), told Reuters.
The SFCTA administers funding for transit and roadway projects in San Francisco, a city that has been a locus for the testing of autonomous vehicles, thanks in no small part to its proximity to Silicon Valley.
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The authority, though, raised a concern about the name of the system, “Full Self-Driving,” arguing, as others have, that it could lead to misconceptions about its use. Although the system does allow the vehicle to take over most driving duties in some scenarios, it is also a Level 2 system that requires constant attention from the driver, something that has not been clear to all Tesla owners.
Tesla’s slightly less advanced Autopilot system is being investigated by national authorities and has come under heavier scrutiny. Meanwhile, CEO Elon Musk has admitted that FSD Beta 9.2 “is actually not that great”.
Tesla started testing a new Beta version of FSD last week with early access drivers. Per the automaker, the Beta test was only available to “good drivers,” as assessed by Tesla’s insurance calculator. Musk tweeted that any driver who wasn’t being “super careful” would be “booted.”
