Tesla Full Self Driving Thread
Thread Starter
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
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From: California
As others have said, the version you had was older and less mature. With the latest v14.xx you no longer need to touch the wheel, unless it thinks you aren't paying attention.
The M3 you were driving behind seems like it was being manually driven. FSD does not have one sit in the left lane on a highway. It may stay there awhile while passing slower vehicles, and if someone comes up at a higher rate of speed, it will get over when safe to do so. It doesn't speed up to get out of the way. Also, there is no speed you can set FSD to. You set modes which can range from going roughly the speed limit to about 20 over. I choose Hurry to go with the flow.
I'm betting that about 1 in 10-20 are using FSD, if that.
The M3 you were driving behind seems like it was being manually driven. FSD does not have one sit in the left lane on a highway. It may stay there awhile while passing slower vehicles, and if someone comes up at a higher rate of speed, it will get over when safe to do so. It doesn't speed up to get out of the way. Also, there is no speed you can set FSD to. You set modes which can range from going roughly the speed limit to about 20 over. I choose Hurry to go with the flow.
I'm betting that about 1 in 10-20 are using FSD, if that.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
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From: Ohio
I used it for over 1000 miles on my last trip to SoCal, and it made no mistakes, made it's way around slower traffic, drove better than every driver around me, and I didn't have to pay attention except for every now and then look at the road. For long trips, I will always pay $99 to use it. I would say try it yourself before coming to conclusions.
BTW there is no effort required, you just sit back and let the car do it's thing
BTW there is no effort required, you just sit back and let the car do it's thing
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
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From: Ohio
The only folks constantly repeating themselves over and over ad infinitum, about how pointless FSD is are the ones who don't own a Tesla.....
We get it loud and clear. Can we please move on? It's ok to think it's pointless, why repeat the same thing over and over again? 🤔
We get it loud and clear. Can we please move on? It's ok to think it's pointless, why repeat the same thing over and over again? 🤔
I CAN leave someone else unattended in all the above and not monitor them at all, that's my bar they need to clear if they expect me to pay for it.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
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From: Ohio
You should watch the video I posted. He has multiple Teslas and totally agrees with us on FSD.
Not saying its "pointless", its amazing technology but for me if I have to sit there and look straight ahead then I'd rather just drive. If I can text and email or watch a movie or something thats a different story.
Its not for everybody.
Not saying its "pointless", its amazing technology but for me if I have to sit there and look straight ahead then I'd rather just drive. If I can text and email or watch a movie or something thats a different story.
Its not for everybody.
Totally different game if I can totally retract my awareness from the drive and do something else entirely, right now it feels like I'm watching over my sister during a practice drive session....
Technically we didn't die nor were any mistakes make but dear god I would rather just do it myself.
Thread Starter
Lexus Champion
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From: California
You could, but the current laws don't allow that, so the car won't allow it. I've spent enough time using FSD that I would sit in the backseat if it was allowed
Lexus Champion
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From: Ohio
Meanwhile all competitors have closed gap and in many cases are exceeding them so they best figure it out so I can buy a $25k self driving tesla so I can send it around for errands and Uber. That's what I was promised anyway and it would actually be cool to have a drone to do stuff like that
Lexus Champion
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From: Ohio
Listen my brother, with all due respect, I have more experience using FSD than you do which I think we can agree on, and I've seen first hand what it can and can't do, and those reddit posts don't dissuade
me even an inch. You can choose not to use it or trust it, and I respect that. As far as I'm concerned, this is the future, it works beautifully (though not perfectly), is safer than any human driver, and that's my position, like it or not. Now I do promise that if it makes any major or dangerous mistakes, I will post it here. Cross my heart
me even an inch. You can choose not to use it or trust it, and I respect that. As far as I'm concerned, this is the future, it works beautifully (though not perfectly), is safer than any human driver, and that's my position, like it or not. Now I do promise that if it makes any major or dangerous mistakes, I will post it here. Cross my heart
Thread Starter
Lexus Champion
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From: California
Exactly!
Totally different game if I can totally retract my awareness from the drive and do something else entirely, right now it feels like I'm watching over my sister during a practice drive session....
Technically we didn't die nor were any mistakes make but dear god I would rather just do it myself.
Totally different game if I can totally retract my awareness from the drive and do something else entirely, right now it feels like I'm watching over my sister during a practice drive session....
Technically we didn't die nor were any mistakes make but dear god I would rather just do it myself.
Thread Starter
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,431
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From: California
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2013
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From: IL
I trust it 99% of the time. It's that 1% that keeps me from even thinking about doing that. I had an issue in FL that would have had me going the wrong way on a local road if I didn't take over. I know that was v13, but it's still in the back of my mind. I trust it much more on major highways with established traffic patterns.
Lexus Champion
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From: Ohio
My grandparents are 87, still driving no issues. If my parents are old enough they can't they will just pay someone to drive them so it's of no concern.
I have experienced it, many times. I regularly rent teslas to see how it's coming along and I have customers with the cars so they are in no way foreign to me. I want to get the $25k FSD model 2 whenever it eventually comes out so I can have a task drone so I'm regularly checking in how the key selling point feature is doing.
It takes more effort out of me to have FSD take me on a 45 min trip vs me just manually driving and I can't pull the same stuff I normally would. I get that IRRITATION you feel when someone is driving too slow and not exploiting gaps properly and I had to fight to not just turn it off and cut the test short.
Did I mention that it doesn't doesn't as well as me on backroads already? It's downright scary sometimes with no ability to pre-brake for a bend or position the car deeply inboard to have enough of a line to maintain the speed limit. That or it cuts speed down to the 40s where I never drop below 60, and pisses me off it's unskilled and like having an amateur drive.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
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From: Ohio
No it doesn't. It can't handle 8-14 inches of snow and ice during a full blizzard. I helped 3 cars back into the road this last storm and guess what two of them were and what mode they were in....
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
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From: Ohio
Seriously?
I trust it 99% of the time. It's that 1% that keeps me from even thinking about doing that. I had an issue in FL that would have had me going the wrong way on a local road if I didn't take over. I know that was v13, but it's still in the back of my mind. I trust it much more on major highways with established traffic patterns.
I trust it 99% of the time. It's that 1% that keeps me from even thinking about doing that. I had an issue in FL that would have had me going the wrong way on a local road if I didn't take over. I know that was v13, but it's still in the back of my mind. I trust it much more on major highways with established traffic patterns.
Interstate is the use that bothers me the least, local driving it just worse than I am and more critically it robs me of the drive. Absorbs all the fun out of something I would otherwise have a lot of interaction and fun out of, like having your mom drive you around sort of feeling.
IDK if I'm describing it correctly but interstate is fine, not game changing vs ACC though
Most importantly/my real issue as of late with Tesla is where is my model 2 and why did it have to go to subscription for FSD!?!?!? That's like 20% higher car payment and and endless drain thereafter, I like to keep my stuff for 20+ years so it will make zero financial sense to not have a $5k buy once option.
Thats assuming the thing lasts that long....
Last edited by Striker223; Jan 30, 2026 at 06:48 PM.
Thread Starter
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,431
Likes: 3,658
From: California
Seriously?
I trust it 99% of the time. It's that 1% that keeps me from even thinking about doing that. I had an issue in FL that would have had me going the wrong way on a local road if I didn't take over. I know that was v13, but it's still in the back of my mind. I trust it much more on major highways with established traffic patterns.
I trust it 99% of the time. It's that 1% that keeps me from even thinking about doing that. I had an issue in FL that would have had me going the wrong way on a local road if I didn't take over. I know that was v13, but it's still in the back of my mind. I trust it much more on major highways with established traffic patterns.
