Tesla FSD Beta 10.2: Who got it and what's new

By Nuno Cristovao

The first FSD Beta public expansion is finally here. Some of us have been waiting since April for this day. It's fashionably late, as they say. Tesla has released FSD Beta 10.2 with the release of 2021.32.25 to testers. This is also the first beta to see a public expansion. It was released to owners with the highest Safety Scores.

Tesla releases FSD Beta 10.2
Tesla releases FSD Beta 10.2
DirtyTesla/YouTube

Elon previously tweeted that there were about 1,000 users with a perfect Safety Score, and they would be receiving the FSD Beta, although it looks like not everyone with a score of 100 has received it yet. It's up to interpretation what a perfect score with 100/100 could mean, but it could be that a 100 score isn't enough and you need to be under a certain threshold for some of the events that the Safety Score keeps track of. Interestingly, Elon specified that it was only released to owners who had a score of 100 and over 100 miles driven.

NDA

Up until today, everyone who received the FSD Beta also needed to agree to an NDA. The NDA stated that you can not post images, videos or discuss the FSD Beta. With the release of 10.2 Tesla has dropped this requirement and owners are no longer prevented from sharing videos and discussing the beta. Previously, there were many YouTubers that posted videos of the beta online, but it appears that there were no consequences for doing so.

Tesla may have been trying to protect itself from negative publicity related to the beta and prevent any bad mouthing. It seems Tesla already received plenty of unwarranted negative attention any time there is an accident or fire.

Removing the NDA requirements shows that Tesla is showing increasing confidence in its FSD program.

Cabin Camera

With the release of 10.2, Tesla no longer allows you to use Autopilot with the cabin camera obscured. If you cover the interior camera Tesla will flash a warning on screen and Autopilot will be disabled.

Tesla has relied on steering wheel tension to detect driver inattention ever since they introduced Autopilot v1. It was clear they could do better and introducing the cabin camera with it's active driver monitoring is a big step in the right direction.

Covering the cabin camera now stops Tesla Autopilot
Covering the cabin camera now prevents the use of Autopilot
DirtyTesla/YouTube

By actively monitoring the driver Tesla can reduce nag screens and alert the driver the moment they become distracted instead of waiting to test for tension on the steering wheel again.

I understand many people are going to have a problem with a camera that's always recording, but the truth of the matter is that similar devices are already around you today. If you have a smartphone then you may already have “Hey, Siri" or “Hey, Google" activated, which is constantly monitoring the audio in the room. In your home you may have Alexa or Google Assistant devices. Your smartphone may do face scans like Face ID, instead of using a fingerprint.

These devices exist because they're convenient and they work well. Tesla's implementation is similar or in some ways safer than these other devices. All recordings from Tesla's cabin camera to check for driver inattention are processed in the car and are never sent to Tesla. Tesla's driver monitoring system is a better way of detecting whether the driver is paying attention and it's keeping you safer as well.

Car Visualizations

Many testers are reporting that the car visualization on screen appears slightly different. The color of the car appears shinier and more metallic and is a more accurate representation of the paint job on the car.

Updated visualization in FSD Beta 10.2
NickWHoward/Twitter

Single Stack

Unfortunately it does not appear that the stack to rule them all is in this release. We know that Tesla is working on combining the tech stacks for highway and city driving. Elon has said this was close to being released several betas ago, but it's understandable that this is complicated and Tesla could be running into edge cases.

Tesla was initially going to include the single-stack in version 10.1 of the FSD Beta, but we may have to wait until the next major release (v11) before seeing it implemented.

Release Notes

Tesla's FSD Beta comes in as release 2021.32.25, but the release notes packaged with the firmware are the same as previous betas. It's possible that Elon may offer technical release notes like we saw with the release of the 9.2, but we haven't received any thus far.

Update: We take a look at some of the latest FSD Beta 10.2 videos and first impressions of new testers.

Breaking Tradition: Tesla Hits the Social Media Advertising Road

By Kevin Armstrong
Model Y Advertising
Model Y Advertising
Tesla

Tesla has prepared us for a slower sales year, but just how slow may be showing up on social media. No, I’m not talking about X, which is where 99% of Tesla news comes from, but social platforms owned by a guy that Elon Musk once wanted to fight.

Tesla advertising has been shown on Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook and Instagram accounts. While Musk has talked about utilizing more conventional advertising for more than a year, Tesla has only sporadically shown up on a few digital avenues; now, it appears to be a full campaign.

The Return to Meta and Zuck

The year 2018 marked a significant moment in Tesla's history when Elon Musk, in a move reflective of his disdain for Facebook amid the Cambridge Analytica scandal, deleted Tesla and SpaceX's Facebook pages, both of which boasted millions of followers. Fast forward six years, Tesla has reinstated its presence on Facebook and launched advertising campaigns across Meta-owned platforms.

Musk is now paying Tesla money to a guy he challenged to a cage match and once joked/threatened to drive by his house and fight him. There are two takeaways here: Meta is a dominant force in online advertising, and Musk is willing to do whatever it takes to advance Tesla’s mission to a sustainable future.

Embracing Traditional Advertising Amidst EV Market Changes

Tesla's advertisements, including ads on Cars.com, which highlight the Model Y, demonstrate the company's adeptness in utilizing Meta's sophisticated targeting capabilities to reach potential customers. Tesla's avoidance of traditional advertising was once heralded as a visionary move, saving the company billions and contributing to its mystique.

However, the electric vehicle landscape has evolved, with early adopters now equipped with their chosen EVs, making it imperative for Tesla and its competitors to reach a broader audience. Tesla's advertising initiatives on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube reflect this strategic adjustment, aiming to capture the attention of potential buyers beyond its core fanbase.

Despite Elon Musk's historically critical view of advertising and his complex relationship with the social media advertising sphere, Tesla's foray into paid advertisements represents a significant evolution in the company's marketing strategy. This shift acknowledges the necessity of diversified marketing approaches in sustaining growth and expanding market reach in the contemporary automotive landscape.

Tesla Advances with 5G: A Future of Enhanced Connectivity for Cars and Robotics

By Kevin Armstrong
Tesla building 5G private network
Tesla building 5G private network

Tesla appears to be planning an ambitious project to build a private 5G network. This initiative would revolutionize connectivity for its vehicles and the robot, Optimus, as well as any other plans the company is likely to develop in the future.

Innovative Job Posting Reveals Big Plans

Although now removed, a recently spotted job posting for a Cellular Systems Integration Engineer on Tesla's career page shed light on the company's intentions. The role demands expertise to elevate Tesla's vehicle and Optimus robot connectivity, promising to push the boundaries of low latency and high data rates.

Tesla's journey from 3G to the anticipated 5G upgrade will bring about ultra-reliable communication and high-speed data transfer, crucial for over-the-air software updates, autonomous driving features, and real-time data analytics. These communications could be product to product, such as vehicles communicating with each other or with other products such as Optimus. However, the job posting also talks about products being able to communicate with Tesla’s internal 5G network. It’s not clear whether the private network would be internal such as at a Gigafactory, or a broader network out in the world.

Tesla is pursuing an internal 5G network for product communication
Tesla is pursuing an internal 5G network for product communication

The Strategic Role of Private 5G Networks

Deploying its private 5G network, Tesla aims to create a seamlessly connected environment in its manufacturing facilities, research labs, and outdoor spaces. This infrastructure is not just about enhancing vehicle connectivity; it's also pivotal for the operational efficiency of the Optimus robot in various scenarios, including warehouse operations.

Tesla's foray into private 5G networking places it in an advantageous position in the automotive and tech industries. This strategic move aligns with the global trend towards adopting private 5G networks, which promise to revolutionize industries with their reliability and speed. Tesla's efforts to develop a private 5G protocol stack that integrates with any cellular infrastructure globally will set new industry standards.

With 5G, Tesla vehicles and Optimus robots will benefit from significantly reduced latency, offering under 5 milliseconds compared to the 60-98 milliseconds of 4G networks. This technological advancement is expected to enhance the functionality and responsiveness of Tesla's products, paving the way for advanced autonomous driving capabilities and efficient robot operations.

Tesla's interest in developing a private 5G network is a logical step. By building an infrastructure that supports the fastest connectivity standards, Tesla is preparing for its vehicles and laying the groundwork for sophisticated robotics applications. This endeavor reflects Tesla's ongoing commitment to innovation and its role in shaping the future of transportation and automation.

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