Tesla delivered its “beta button” Friday, bringing the next level of autonomous driving to its car owners. Regulators aren’t happy.
With the “beta button,” Tesla (ticker: TSLA) owners can now request the most sophisticated version of Tesla’s autonomous-driving software, dubbed Full Self Driving, or FSD, with the press of a finger. The button went live on Friday.
Tesla’s new system will do things such as make left turns for the driver. Tesla has let some drivers test the system before now. Many videos from testers that review the capabilities—and issues—with the system are available on YouTube.
Just hitting the button isn’t all Tesla drivers have to do. The button doesn’t grant access to the new version automatically. Tesla judges driving behavior for a week before the upgrade is activated.
Regulators have expressed nervousness about the launch and calling a safety feature a “beta” version. But beyond that, nothing much has happened. Investors can expect more to happen in coming weeks, including videos, tweets, and stories about Tesla’s full self-driving software and what regulators are thinking about it.
Tesla hasn’t responded to multiple requests for comment about FSD, but the company has said in many public forums that it believes FSD software makes its vehicles safer to drive.
Tesla FSD is a so-called Level 2 autonomous-driving system. Level 2 means drivers need to watch the road at all times. The new version is the same kind of system. It makes driving easier and more convenient, but there are no systems that allow drivers to stop paying attention to driving altogether. That’s what Tesla, and the rest of the auto industry, wants to achieve years down the road.
Tesla stock, for its part, is at its highest level in months. Shares closed up 2.8% at $774.49 on Friday, and are now up about 10% in 2021, trailing just behind comparable gains of the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average. But all those gains have come recently. Tesla stock is up 15% over the past three months.