Tesla recently launched their new AI training cluster with 10,000 GPUs
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In a recent TIME article adapted from his forthcoming book on Elon Musk, Walter Isaacson gives us a rare look into the innovative strides Tesla is making in the realm of artificial intelligence. Musk's ambitions have consistently set him apart, and Isaacson provides intriguing details, such as Musk's original intent to merge Tesla with OpenAI.
Though the idea didn't pan out, Musk's unyielding vision saw him championing rival AI teams to birth a series of groundbreaking projects. With Tesla vehicles sending back "160 billion frames per day of video" of humans in diverse real-world situations, the scale and scope of the data being harnessed are staggering.
"Tesla's real-world AI is underrated," Musk emphasized, highlighting the company's edge in the AI race. He posed a challenging notion: "Imagine if Tesla and OpenAI had to swap tasks... Who wins? We do."
FSD V12: More than Just Code
The Full Self-Driving v12 live stream from Musk's phone to X has generated more than 45 million views. This wasn't merely an upgrade but a glimpse into a future where technology starts to mimic human intelligence and seamlessly intertwines with it all, thanks to the power of neural nets.
This evolution marks a radical departure for those tracking Tesla's technological trajectory. Musk revealed that they had scrapped over 300,000 lines of hard-coded programming from the car's neural networks to take the helm. The FSD V12's efficacy was laid bare as it tackled construction zones, speed bumps, roundabouts, and traffic with much more ease than we've seen in public releases. Musk encapsulated this transition with his apt exclamation, "This is all nets, baby, nothing but net."
Real-World Challenges & AI Nuances
But it's not just about making the car drive. As Musk demonstrated, it's about making it drive like a human — with all the nuances that come with that. From not jerking abruptly to finding a lane to the smoothness in transitioning from one traffic condition to another, the FSD V12 is designed to observe, learn, and replicate the best of human driving behavior. However, it also underscores the challenges of programming AI for real-world scenarios. As Musk explained, the sparse data on drivers coming to complete stops at stop signs poses an obstacle. With less than 0.5% of drivers fully adhering to this rule, it's a stark reminder that AI is navigating a world where humans often flout regulations.
Looking Ahead: AI & Beyond
Isaacson's insights, combined with the V12 showcase, hint at a future where Tesla isn't just leading the electric vehicle market but is also on the frontlines of the AI revolution. Musk's commitment to AI is evident as he navigates the complexity of running multiple ventures, from SpaceX to Neuralink and the much-anticipated xAI. The next chapter promises even more advancements. Isaacson's book release is tomorrow, September 12th.
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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.
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.
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.
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 10th 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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Tesla Android Project enables you to run Android apps in your Tesla. The platform is Open Source and you can deploy it on your own Raspberry Pi 4. Consider supporting the initiative by donating or purchasing the Compute Module 4 Bundle that delivers the best experience. Get $20 off by using the code: NotATeslaApp
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