Gary Zhou 
Elon Musk has previously mentioned that once the company rolls out its Autopilot rewrite, the changes in the capabilities of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system would be swift. It seems that changes are still coming rapidly, based on recent real-world tests of the FSD beta, with the machine now learning how to slow down the speed bumps on residential roads.
It should be noted that for approximately a week, Tesla’s limited FSD beta was only released to a select few owners. The FSD suite has been tested by Tesla owners at a number of locations since its initial launch on October 21, from parking lots to small streets to unpaved backroads that are partially covered. And although the FSD beta is clearly not yet perfect, Tesla owners running the tests have confirmed that the system is improving rapidly.
Tesla owner James Locke, whose model 3 is currently running software version 2020.40.8.11, recently posted one of these enhancements. Locke revealed how the FSD beta slows down on suburban roads for speed bumps in a recent video posted on YouTube. This could be seen in the video which featured the Model 3 detecting and responding in a way very close to a human driver to speed bumps.
During a recent real-world test performed by fellow Tesla owner Zeb Hallock, who used the FSD beta on a hilly, unpaved, unmarked, and partially covered lane, FSD beta’s success in Locke’s speed bump test echoes the impressive capabilities shown by the driver-assist system. Similar to Locke’s test, Hallock’s Model 3 acted almost like a human driver, carefully navigating the partially covered road to find an ideal drivable space.
Elon Musk noted that around the end of the year, Tesla’s FSD beta would likely see a wider update. The suite will essentially become feature-complete with FSD’s ability to navigate city streets and suburban roads. This would allow the company to take a step forward in its objective of deploying a fleet of self-driving robotic taxis that could provide commuters with affordable and reliable ride-hailing services.
Perhaps the most impressive feature of Tesla’s advanced driver-assist suite, beyond the raw capabilities of the FSD beta, is its ability to evolve in a very fast way. After all, if the FSD beta is now beginning to act like a reasonably diligent, but new, human driver for now, it will be very fascinating to see how capable the machine will become in the months and years that follow.
Watch a test of Tesla’s restricted FSD beta on a suburban road with speed bumps in the video below.
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