Elon Musk Says Tesla Will Roll Out FSD Beta V11 Next Week

Tesla's Full Self-Driving will finally be updated to v11

MKBHD/Twitter

Tesla's FSD Beta version 11 is expected to arrive next week, according to Tesla CEO Elon Musk. This comes a few days after Tesla started rolling out FSD Beta 10.69.3.3.

The outspoken CEO responded to a comment from Tesla Owners Silicon Valley’s account asking about FSD Beta version 11’s release. To which Musk responded, “Next week.”

The Austin-based automotive company has slowly started rolling out FSD Beta v11 to select employees, but now it's rumored to be a part of Tesla's Holiday Update. The update, which is perhaps one of Tesla’s biggest to date, is chock-full of exciting features such as Steam and Apple Music integration, new media cards and controls, and hopefully a single-stack for Full Self-Driving Beta.

Unifying highway and city driving into a single stack is expected to bring big improvements to highway Autopilot use. In technology, a single stack refers to using the same technologies for multiple applications instead of having separate technologies for different features or services. Applying the much better and recent FSD Beta technology to highway driving will allow Tesla to combine all of the data it has gathered from city driving and apply it to its Navigate on Autopilot feature.

This integration between all of Tesla’s technologies will likely mean much smoother merging, lane changes and cornering on the highway. The city-driving visuals are also expected to be applied to highway driving.

One of the recent builds of FSD Beta v11 was spotted last month and the release notes have recently been leaked, showing that this new beta will in fact merge highway and city driving. This internal only version was version 2022.40.5, is not expected to be the build that will go out to the public.

Merging of FSD Beta and Production Updates

When FSD Beta v11 goes out to beta testers next week, it's expected to be a part of the Holiday Update, which means that FSD Beta and regular production builds will finally be merged and beta testers will no longer remain on a separate track.

For owners who are not in the FSD Beta, this means that they'll finally have access to the FSD Beta by simply turning on the option in the vehicle. FSD Beta will no longer be a separate version or update.

For exisiting beta testers this will also be a big deal. Beta testers will now stay current with the latest updates and features and will not have to wait months between updates.

Tesla's single-stack was exected as early as this summer, but that timeframe conveyed by Elon was likely overly optimistic.

But now that it’s going wide in about a week, the wait is almost over. And we’re likely going to see major improvements to Navigate on Autopilot and FSD in 2023 and beyond, especially as Tesla gears up to add HD radar next month, the announcement of hardware 4, and the revamped 2023 Model 3.

We’re anticipating 2023 to be a big year for Tesla.

Tesla Is Now Offering Cybertruck Test Drives [List of Locations]

@brandonhd

Tesla has begun to reach out to customers in the United States and is offering demo drives of the Cybertruck on an invite-only basis. @brandonhd on X shared the first invite image, and it looks like it's going out quite quickly to multiple locations that have Cybertrucks on display.

Up until now, display vehicles have been for just that – looking, but no touching. Some Tesla delivery centers and showrooms have also allowed viewers to take a seat inside and open it up, but most are still locked away behind the velvet rope.

It’s exciting to see that Tesla has begun to demo them – and it can only be so long until demo drives open up to everyone.

Advisor-led Demo

This Demo Drive is led by a Tesla Advisor – while you’re driving, the advisor will be in the passenger seat, walking you through the experience. They’ll explain steer-by-wire, off-road controls, and will introduce new-to-Tesla buyers to all the features that are currently available.

Once FSD V12.5 comes to the Cybertruck, we’re sure they’ll be demoing its capabilities FSD capabilities as well.

Locations

The list of locations so far for demo drives appears to be fairly limited, but we will hopefully see demo drives roll out throughout the United States, and eventually Canada too. Here is the current list of city/state locations that have seen demo drive invites.

• Manhasset, New York

• West Covina, California

• Los Angeles, California

• Houston, Texas

• Orlando, Florida

• Westmont, Illinois

• Tucson, Arizona

• Phoenix, Arizona

• Delaware

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Musk Confirms 'Actually Smart Summon' is Coming in a Revision of FSD V12.5

Not a Tesla App

Actually Smart Summon, the successor to Tesla’s Smart Summon feature, has been confirmed to be coming as soon as next month as per Elon Musk. Colloquially known as “ASS”, Actually Smart Summon is supposed to improve on the regular Smart Summon capabilities, which have historically used ultrasonic sensors (USS) to navigate parking lots.

We’re looking forward to Actually Smart Summon, and we’re quite excited about what other features will be unlocked once it finally shows up at our doorstep.

Vision-based Improvements

ASS is supposed to bring Smart Summon to vehicles that don’t have USS – using Tesla Vision. Most recently, Tesla has brought Autopark to vehicles without USS, and Vision-based Autopark has been a huge success. It is faster, more reliable, and smoother than the older USS-based solution. It can also park and maneuver in tighter locations.

Just recently, Tesla returned the Model X’s self-presenting doors, using Tesla Vision. Vision has seen some fantastic improvements, and many people are waiting for ASS to bring forth these improvements to Smart Summon.

Smart Summon Today

Today, Smart Summon is sometimes useful at best, usually a party trick, or downright dangerous at worst. It’s excellent and best used in straight lines, where you have a clear line of sight of the vehicle, and can stop it if doesn’t see an obstacle.

I used Smart Summon today, just before writing this article – my 2022 Model Y (with USS) – did manage to show up just fine – in a straight-line location from where I was parked, after exiting the parking spot fairly cleanly. However, I’ve previously used Smart Summon and have had the vehicle turn towards obstacles, such as cart returns or curbs. Overall, it’s a sometimes-useful feature that has a lot of drawbacks right now.

Smart Summon is also restricted to a certain distance – and it's pretty small. The max distance is shorter than most parking lots, being only about 215 ft (65m). If you’re lucky enough to park close, it's very useful to bring your car right to you.

Actually Smart Summon

ASS will bring FSD V12-like capabilities to Smart Summon – the vehicle will primarily use Vision to drive toward you (or the location you’ve indicated). ASS has been supposed to be coming since about September 2022 and has seen many delays – we’re almost at the 2-year point today.

We’re looking forward to Actually Smart Summon being able to bring the vehicle – safely – right to you. ASS is also one of the key steps towards bringing some other cool features that Elon Musk has previously mentioned – Park Seek and Banish Autopark.

We’re also hopeful that Actually Smart Summon will increase the maximum range a vehicle can be summoned, because the current range is fairly small. Alongside Park Seek and Banish Autopark, we’re closing in on a Robotaxi-based future.

Park Seek and Banish Autopark

When the FSD v12.4 showed up, Elon also mentioned that going forward, vehicles would automatically park themselves when arriving in a parking lot – Park Seek – and that if you got out of the car at the entrance to a business, you could get it to automatically park itself in the parking lot – Banish Autopark. These are two features that are needed for Robotaxi to work – which itself is delayed to October 10^th of this year. We’re looking quite forward to them – as in combination with Actually Smart Summon, Tesla has reached the cusp of vehicle autonomy.

A vehicle that arrives, driverless, at the location you’re at, then drives somewhere, parks itself there, and waits for you – is the definition of a Robotaxi.

While we’re likely to have to wait for Banish Autopark and Park Seek just a bit longer, Actually Smart Summon being around the corner is exciting! Gone will be the days of having to run out to your car when you forgot your umbrella – your car will just come right to you instead.

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