It’s been almost a year since Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that its Full Self-Driving software would no longer be in beta with the release of FSD V12. It appears that the automaker is finally making good on that promise. Well, at least in name.
Tesla’s newest FSD release, already praised by many online, officially drops the “Beta” moniker from the software’s name, changing it from Full Self-Driving Beta to “Full Self-Driving (Supervised).” So is this just a name change, or is it something more meaningful?
Tesla’s FSD Naming Controversy
Tesla’s use of Autopilot and Full Self-Driving has been a long-standing issue for regulatory bodies and road safety advocates since its release. But is it enough to simply drop “Beta” and clarify that the feature requires supervision?
Tesla hasn’t publicly acknowledged the name change in any official capacity outside of the software notes at the time of writing. However, as noted by Not a Tesla App, it has made the branding much clearer—or as clear as it can without dropping the controversial “Full Self-Driving” branding entirely.
Adding the word “Supervised” appears to be Tesla’s attempt to clarify its current state of vehicle autonomy. It attempts to make clear that the car, while making certain acceleration, braking, and steering decisions without the direct input of the driver, still needs to be supervised to ensure that it’s not doing “the wrong thing at the worst time.” The release notes also display the following verbiage:
Under your supervision, Full Self-Driving (Supervised) can drive your Tesla almost anywhere. It will make lane changes, select forks to follow your navigation route, navigate around other vehicles and objects, and make left and right turns. You and anyone you authorize must use additional caution and remain attentive. It does not make your vehicle autonomous. Do not become complacent.
Regulatory bodies from across the globe have slammed Tesla for its branding choice of the Level 2 semi-autonomous driving aid. Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), called the branding “misleading and irresponsible.” The California Department of Motor Vehicles filed a complaint of false advertisement with the state’s Office of Administrative Hearings in a separate incident. And in some cases, Tesla has even been taken to court over the name. It’s clear that the naming of the feature has led to a long string of legal matters that Tesla continues to fight over what the name implies to the consumer.
Semantics aside, Tesla may also be finalizing the name change as it becomes satisfied with a wide release of its software. Owners—well, most of them, anyway—have reported being very satisfied with the capabilities of the latest releases of FSD.
Tesla has also expanded its reach of FSD by putting it in the hands of all owners with a vehicle capable of running the software by enabling a one-month free trial of FSD. Not only does this give the automaker a chance to show off how mature the software has become—plus, perhaps that might bolster the adoption rate of the $12,000 add-on.
