Tesla resets driver strikes and increases limit with FSD Beta 10.8.1

By Kareem Berry

Tesla's Full Self-Driving Beta has a three strike system before it suspends the driver from using Autopilot.

Tesla is resetting driver strikes
Tesla is resetting driver strikes

The driver receives a strike whenever the system deems that the driver isn't paying attention. This could be anything from being distracted and not looking at the road, looking too long at the display or looking at your phone while in drive.

After a driver has received three strikes, they can no longer use FSD on city streets. Unfortunately, this isn't just for the duration of the drive, but until Tesla reset the driver's strikes.

Everyone expected Tesla to reset strikes with each iteration of the beta, but so far that hasn't been the case. This has been frustrating for several testers, especially when Tesla's system is far from perfect.

With the release of FSD Beta 10.8.1, Tesla is now resetting all testers' strikes to zero, regardless of how many they had or when they were received.

With beta 10.8.1, Tesla is also increasing the amount of strikes to five, before FSD becomes disabled.

It's unclear whether there are any improvements to how Tesla hands out strikes or detects improper use of FSD, but increasing the limit to five will surely help a lot of testers.

Tesla should consider clearing a strike after it reaches a certain age. For example, strikes could drop off after 30 days, so as long as you don't receive five strikes within a 30 day period, you'd be able to continue using FSD.

Beta 10.8.1 has only been released to a select group of beta testers, but it's likely it will continue going out to additional testers in the coming days.

This beta was released with version 2021.44.30.5 and is based off of 2021.44.30, which contains Tesla's Holiday Update and fixes for vehicles with a heat pump.

You can also view the complete release notes for FSD Beta 10.8.1.

Beta Released Version
Beta 9.0 July 10th, 2021 2021.4.18.12
Beta 9.1 July 31st, 2021 2021.4.18.13
Beta 9.2 August 15th, 2021 2021.12.25.15
Beta 10.0 September 11th, 2021 2021.24.15
Beta 10.0.1 September 18th, 2021 2021.24.16
Beta 10.1 September 25th, 2021 2021.24.17
Beta 10.2 October 11th, 2021 2021.32.25
Beta 10.3 October 24th, 2021 2021.36.5.2
Beta 10.3.1 October 25th, 2021 2021.36.5.3
Beta 10.4 November 6th, 2021 2021.36.8.5
Beta 10.5 November 22nd, 2021 2021.36.8.8
Beta 10.6 December 4th, 2021 2021.36.8.9
Beta 10.6.1 December 11th, 2021 2021.36.8.10
Beta 10.7 December 19th, 2021 2021.44.5.5
Beta 10.8 December 24th, 2021 2021.44.25.6
Beta 10.8.1 January 7th, 2021 2021.44.30.5

Tesla’s More Affordable Vehicle Update: Q1 2025

By Karan Singh
@DominicBRNKMN/X

Alongside the many things we learned about Unsupervised FSD and the Robotaxi program, we also got to find out a little more about Tesla’s more affordable vehicle in the Q1 2025 Earnings Call.

There has been extensive reporting on what the long-anticipated affordable EV option would become, and we’ve seen numerous news stories mentioning that it was delayed or even arriving on time. The executive team revealed the near-term and long-term plans for Tesla’s upcoming vehicles, and there’s definitely good news to share here.

Updated Timeline

The most important piece of news is that despite all the talk of delays from supposed inside sources, Tesla has confirmed that the plan for its more affordable model remains on schedule for production to begin in the first half of 2025. Tesla’s executive team narrowed that timeline down further - and said that they expect production to kick off as soon as June and that the new model will be in the market shortly thereafter.

While the production timeline itself is on track, Tesla did note that the subsequent ramping process will likely be slower than initially hoped, citing global tariff and financial impacts as challenges to overcome to prepare its production lines.

Hybrid Production Approach

Tesla has once again confirmed that this will not be their next-generation vehicle, built using new production methods. Instead, they outlined a relatively more pragmatic approach for this new model.

Tesla will utilize aspects of both the next-generation platform as well as some parts of its current platforms (namely the Model 3 and Model Y). This means that Tesla will produce this new vehicle on the same manufacturing lines as the Model 3 and Model Y.

This strategy allows Tesla to bring the vehicle to the market more quickly, while also managing capital expenditures more efficiently by using existing infrastructure. However, Tesla’s executive team also noted that this approach, while faster, will result in fewer cost reductions than what might have been achieved with an entirely new platform and dedicated manufacturing process.

Vehicle Design

Using these existing production lines means that Tesla’s new vehicle will likely share some considerable similarities with either the existing Model 3 or Model Y. Rather than being a radically different and smaller vehicle, this new model will resemble the overall form factor and shape of Tesla’s current core offerings, while being optimized for a lower cost.

This doesn’t mean that Tesla is forgetting the overall goal here. Their ultimate goal is to reduce the initial cost of ownership and lower monthly payments for customers while maintaining a standard of excellence and safety.

Not Unboxed

Both at this Earnings Call and previous ones, Tesla has indicated that this new vehicle will not be using the innovative unboxed assembly method, at least for the time being. That relatively unique method will be developed and implemented specifically for the purpose-built Cybercab and for future vehicles on the next-generation platform.

We’re just a few days away from May, so it won’t be long before we see more about this upcoming vehicle. Stay tuned.

U.S. Announces New Autonomous Vehicle Framework and What It Means for Tesla

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

In a follow-up move to the current US administration’s goals to introduce a federal framework for autonomous vehicles, the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) is loosening autonomy restrictions following an announcement from Secretary Sean Duffy on X. This new initiative helps streamline complex regulatory processes and foster home-grown innovation.

Automated Vehicle Framework

As part of the broader upcoming USDOT Innovation Agenda, the newly unveiled AV Framework is designed to promote American innovation and strengthen domestic engineering while maintaining existing safety standards. The framework centers around three key principles:

  • Prioritize Safety

  • Unleash Innovation

  • Enable Commercial Deployment

To kickstart this AV framework, USDOT announced two initial steps focused on streamlining processes and expanding opportunities.

Crash Reporting Requirements

Under the first principle to Prioritize Safety, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) will maintain its Standing General Order requiring crash reporting on Advanced and Automated Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS and ADS). 

However, the reporting process will be streamlined following feedback from AV innovators, likely including Tesla. The goal here is to focus on collecting critical safety information while removing unnecessary or duplicative items from the reporting process, thereby reducing the burden without compromising safety.

Cutting Red Tape

Directly tied to the second principle of Unleash Innovation, the framework also seeks to slash red tape. The first step here is the expansion of the Automated Vehicle Exemption Program, or AVEP. This program allows manufacturers to petition for temporary exemptions from certain federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS) for testing or deployment purposes.

Previously, the standard excluded domestically produced vehicles. Now, domestically produced AVs will not need to meet FMVSS, which will broaden the scope for manufacturers to test more innovative and unique designs and technologies.

Single National Standard for AVs

Finally, tied to the third principle of Enable Commerical Development, USDOT intends to move the United States closer to a single national standard for autonomous vehicles. This aims to prevent a confusing and inefficient patchwork of state-level or city-level laws and regulations, which can create hurdles for companies attempting to innovate, deploy, and scale their technology.

A unified standard across the United States also means that Canada and Mexico will likely be able to follow, as they share homologization standards across North America, including for vehicle crash safety and some autonomy regulations.

What This Means for Tesla

These framework changes will likely have a substantial impact on Tesla. The move towards a national standard is potentially the most impactful change, as Tesla identified regulatory hurdles as one of the most significant challenges it will face with the deployment of both Unsupervised FSD and its Robotaxi network.

The reduction of FMVSS requirements and streamlined reporting will likely play a role in the future as well. The FMVSS requirements are probably already being worked on, if not already met, by the Cybercab and other vehicles in Tesla’s lineup.

Meanwhile, the streamlined reporting will be helpful once Tesla officially launches its Robotaxi network in June.

You can read the official press release on the announcement here.

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