Tesla's FSD May Make an Early European Debut Thanks to UNECE Regulation Update

FSD may be in Europe in 2024

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Tesla's Full Self-Driving beta may be enabled on European streets as early as September 2024. The new UN Economic Commission for Europe regulation on Driver Control Assistance Systems (DCAS) has been added to the annotated provisional agenda for the upcoming 192nd session of the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations.

BREAKING NEWS
The new UNECE regulation DCAS, which could allow Tesla's FSD Beta in Europe, was added to the annotated provisional agenda for the 192nd session of the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29). If it gets adopted, the regulation could come into… pic.twitter.com/yK8tLP0nYt

— Scrais (@Scrin_Mais) February 6, 2024

This discussion was initially set for 2025, with the regulatory body deciding the journey towards autonomous driving on the continent. Adding the DCAS regulation to the provisional agenda signals a crucial step in the regulatory process, suggesting a more accelerated timeline than anticipated. The provision comes with a 70-page document that dives into every aspect of autonomous driving.

The Essence of the Proposal and Its Impact

The DCAS regulation aims to establish a standardized framework for advanced driver assistance technologies, specifically targeting systems that provide sustained lateral and longitudinal motion control support. Unlike fully autonomous systems, DCAS requires the driver to remain engaged and responsible for the vehicle, fitting within the SAE level 2 automation category and lining up with Tesla’s FSD warnings. Adopting the DCAS regulation could mean re-enabling certain Autopilot features previously restricted in Europe and introducing the much-anticipated FSD Beta.

The document focuses on preventing misuse and overreliance on DCAS and addresses concerns about drivers overestimating the capabilities of automated systems. For Tesla and its users, the FSD Beta will have clear guidelines and interfaces to keep drivers informed and engaged, preventing potential safety issues from misunderstanding the system's limits.

Tesla’s Technology Will Face a New Standard of Tests

Tesla has an ongoing relationship with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the U.S., and now the company will have to adhere to a new rule book. The proposal details the safety measures that DCAS-equipped vehicles must adhere to, including response to system failures and compliance with speed limits. The FSD Beta must meet stringent safety standards for Tesla, ensuring its deployment in Europe will be innovative and aligned with the highest safety protocols.

Highlighting the various testing methods for verifying DCAS reliability and effectiveness provides insight into the rigorous approval process that Tesla's FSD Beta must undergo. This thorough testing and compliance process is reassuring for potential users, indicating that the system will have been extensively evaluated for safety and functionality before it becomes available in Europe.

The journey to this point has not been without its challenges. Regulatory processes, especially those involving new technologies and international standards, are inherently complex and time-consuming. The inclusion of the DCAS regulation in the WP.29 agenda comes after intensive efforts by stakeholders to prioritize and expedite the framework, reflecting the high level of interest and investment in the future of mobility.

The potential early adoption of the DCAS regulation holds promise for a new era of driving in Europe. Tesla's FSD Beta could soon be within reach for European drivers. The meeting takes place in Geneva in early March.

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Tesla Increases Price of Model S; Starts Offering Free Lifetime Supercharging

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For the first time in quite a while, Tesla has increased the price of one of its vehicle offerings. The Model S Long Range and the Model S Plaid have both received a hefty price increase. However, not all is bad - as Tesla also added a new benefit for buyers.

Price Increase

The price increase for the Model S is $5,000 - currently only in the United States. This price increase will likely impact other markets, including Canada, in the coming days.

The Model S Long Range now starts at $79,990, while the Model S Plaid now starts at $94,990. The Model S and Model X now have the same starting price. Interestingly, that’s also the same pricing point for the Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast Trimotor non-Foundation Series. 

The vehicle configuration does not appear to have changed, so the new pricing is simply an increase rather than the addition or removal of features. Tesla previously cut the price of the Model S and Model X by 15% in 2023, so this could simply be an adjustment to ensure that the vehicle pricing stays in line with inflation and other factors.

Free Lifetime Supercharging

For those on the fence about ordering a Model S, Tesla has brought back Free Lifetime Supercharging when you order a new Model S on or after December 13, 2024. As always, Free Lifetime Supercharging is restricted to the buyer’s Tesla account and to that specific vehicle. It cannot be transferred to another vehicle or another owner after ownership transfer. It’s worth noting, that it also doesn’t exclude the owner from receiving Supercharger idle fees or congestion fees. There is currently no end date for this promotion.

There are currently no changes to the Model X, neither a price increase nor the addition of Lifetime Superchargering. However, when Tesla makes changes to one of their premium vehicles, it usually affects the other one as well. So be on the lookout for potential changes to the Model X offering in the coming days.

We’ve seen Tesla value Lifetime Supercharging at $5,000, so this falls in line with the price increase we’re seeing. It’s possible that Tesla will begin to bring back Lifetime Supercharging as a perk for buying into their more premium Model S and Model X cars, or this could be another temporary promotion to get buyers who are on the fence to go ahead and make their purchase while this promotion lasts.

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Tesla’s Optimus Robot Learns to Walk Without Vision [VIDEO]

Optimus Falls - but catches itself!

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Tesla recently showed off a demo of Optimus, its humanoid robot, walking around in moderately challenging terrain—not on a flat surface but on dirt and slopes. These things can be difficult for a humanoid robot, especially during the training cycle.

Daily walks help clear your mind pic.twitter.com/dUsW58trS6

— Tesla Optimus (@Tesla_Optimus) December 9, 2024

A Look Behind the Curtain

Most interestingly, Milan Kovac, VP of Engineering for Optimus, clarified what it takes to get Optimus to this stage. Let’s break down what he said.

Optimus is Blind

Optimus is getting seriously good at walking now - it can keep its balance over uneven ground - even while walking blind. Tesla is currently using just the sensors, all powered by a neural net running on the embedded computer. 

Essentially, Tesla is building Optimus from the ground up, relying on as much additional data as possible while it trains vision. This is similar to how they train FSD on vehicles, using LiDAR rigs to validate the vision system’s accuracy. While Optimus doesn’t have LiDAR, it relies on all those other sensors on board, many of which will likely become simplified as vision takes over as the primary sensor.

Today, Optimus is walking blind, but it’s able to react almost instantly to changes in the terrain underneath it, even if it falls or slips. 

What’s Next?

Next up, Tesla AI will be adding vision to Optimus - helping complete the neural net. Remember, Optimus runs on the same overall AI stack as FSD - in fact, Optimus uses an FSD computer and an offshoot of the FSD stack for vision-based tasks.

Milan mentions they’re planning on adding vision to help the robot plan ahead and improve its walking gait. While the zombie shuffle is iconic and a little bit amusing, getting humanoid robots to walk like humans is actually difficult.

There’s plenty more, too - including better responsiveness to velocity and direction commands and learning to fall and stand back up. Falling while protecting yourself to minimize damage is something natural to humans - but not exactly natural to something like a robot. Training it to do so is essential in keeping the robot, the environment around it, and the people it is interacting with safe.

We’re excited to see what’s coming with Optimus next because it is already getting started in some fashion in Tesla’s factories.

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