Tesla updated the roadmap today for its out-of-beta Full Self-Driving (FSD) advanced driver-assist system. The automaker says it will launch the feature in the Cybertruck later this month, roll out a more robust v13 update in October, and launch it in Europe and China within the first quarter of next year — pending regulatory approval.
Tesla started delivering its polarizing Cybertruck to customers more than nine months ago, and one of the biggest omissions (and hype deflators) was not just the lack of FSD but also Autopilot features like lane-keeping. Now Cybertruck will get these features in September, starting with Autopark — which means that Cybertrucks can soon automatically pull into visible parking spots in lots and on streets.
However, the big business move on Tesla’s refreshed FSD roadmap is inching closer to international markets in Europe and China, which, according to Reuters, is already boosting Tesla’s share price. The company has struggled in the European Union, where automakers must obtain preapproval from safety regulators before launching new car technologies.
Although Tesla expects regulatory approval for FSD, it’s not guaranteed. Tesla must demonstrate to EU regulators that FSD is at least as safe as human drivers, which, based on the company’s projections, it might have already. Meanwhile, FSD and Autopilot have been linked to hundreds of crashes and dozens of deaths in the US.
As for China, Tesla started the registration process for FSD with Chinese regulators earlier this year so it could begin internal testing. Tesla has had a less capable iteration of FSD available to customers in China, and its competition is brewing with Chinese automakers launching their own self-driving tech, including vision-based systems.
Tesla’s “supervised” FSD v12 update is supposed to prove that the company’s camera-only approach can succeed. And now the company is already talking about v13 for an October release that has “6 times improved miles between necessary interventions.” Tesla also released its parking lot self-driving ASS (Actually Smart Summon) update this week. It also says it will release updates on eye tracking with sunglasses this month and is adding FSD park, unpark, and reverse abilities in October.