Tesla introducing Autopilot driving styles with 'FSD Profiles'

By Nuno Cristovao

Early Sunday morning Tesla released the latest FSD Beta, v10.3. This release, 2021.36.5.2 includes numerous improvements outlined in Tesla's technical release notes, but it also introduces another notable feature, Autopilot driving styles.

Tesla introduces Autopilot driving styles
Tesla introduces Autopilot driving styles
@chazman/Twitter

In 10.3, Tesla added Full Self-Driving Profiles, or driving styles. There are three options to pick from, Chill, Average and Assertive.

You can think of them as similar options to Chill mode which reduces fast acceleration and the speed-based lane changes such as mild, average and Mad Max.

Choosing a driving style will change how Autopilot drives and interacts with elements in its environment. For example, adjusting your FSD profile will adjust your car's following distance, acceleration, lane changes and more.

In Chill mode, your car will leave a larger following distance and be more 'mellow'. It'll remain in its lane more often if the car in front of you slows down rather than going around them. It will also perform complete stops and have more graduar acceleration.

Tesla's Chill FSD Profile
Tesla's Chill FSD Profile
@chazman/Twitter

Average mode will have a medium following distance and Tesla says that the car may perform rolling stops. Tesla doesn't mean stop signs, but optional stops, such as pulling out of a driveway or parking lot. If the coast is clear, your car may simply slow down instead of coming to a complete stop. You can also expect faster acceleration when compared to Chill mode.

The last driving profile is 'Assertive'. In this profile the following distance will be shorter and your car will try to maintain its speed as much as possible by moving into open lanes more often. Tesla says that the car will not exit passing lanes. So when driving on the highway your car will travel and remain in the left most lane.

Traveling in the passing lane is relatively normal in the US, but in many countries it's actually a ticketable offense. Tesla currently has an option in Autopilot settings that allows the car to travel in the passing lane instead of using it only for passing. It's likely that the option to travel in the passing lane will be adjusted when FSD sees a rollout outside of the US.

It's likely that these profiles affect many other areas of driving, such as when to let other cars into your lane or how it reacts to yellow lights.

These FSD Profiles are a great, and much needed addition. Not only do individuals have different preferences when “someone else” is driving, but some of these driving styles are crucial when driving in certain areas of the country. You wouldn't want to go into a major city and leave a large following distance or accelerate too slowly or cars would constantly cut in front of you.

Similar situation if you live out in the country. Driving fast and not letting other drivers into your lane may be frowned upon by other drivers.

Tesla now has an assertive FSD mode
Tesla now has an assertive FSD mode
@chazman/Twitter

You can read about some of the other changes in FSD Beta 10.3 or take a look at the technical release notes.

Tesla FSD in Europe: June Update

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

The road to bringing FSD to Europe has been a long and complex one and filled with regulatory and bureaucratic hurdles. Elon Musk, as well as other members of Tesla’s AI team, have previously voiced their grievances with the regulatory approval process on X.

However, it appears that there is finally some progress in getting things moving with recent changes to upcoming autonomy regulations, but the process still seems slow.

Waiting on the Dutch

Elon commented on X recently, stating that Tesla is waiting for approval from Dutch authorities and then the EU to start rolling out FSD in Europe. Tesla is focusing on acquiring approvals from the Dutch transportation authority, which will provide them with the platform they need to gain broader acceptance in Europe. Outside of the Netherlands, Tesla is also conducting testing in Norway, which provides a couple of avenues for them to obtain national-level approval.

The frustration has been ongoing, with multiple committee meetings bringing up autonomy regulation but always pulling back at the last second before approving anything. The last meeting on Regulation 157, which governs Automated Lane Keeping Systems, concluded with authorities from the UK and Spain requesting additional time to analyze the data before reaching a conclusion.

Tesla, as well as Elon, have motioned several times for owners to reach out to their elected representatives to move the process forward, as it seems that Tesla’s own efforts are being stymied. 

This can seem odd, especially since Tesla has previously demoed FSD working exceptionally smoothly on European roads - and just did it again in Rome when they shared the video below on X.

DCAS Phase 3

While the approval process has been slow, Kees Roelandschap pointed out that there may be a different regulatory step that could allow FSD to gain a foothold in Europe.

According to Kees, the European Commission is now taking a new approach to approving ADAS systems under the new DCAS Phase 3 regulations. The Commission is now seeking data from systems currently operational in the United States that can perform System-Initiated Maneuvers and don’t require hands-on intervention for every request.

This is key because those are two of the core functionalities that make FSD so usable, and it also means that there may not be a need to wait years for proper regulations to be written from scratch. Now, the Commission will be looking at real-world data based on existing, deployed technology, which could speed up the process immensely.

What This Means

This new, data-driven regulatory approach could be the path for Tesla to reach its previous target of September for European FSD. While the cogs of bureaucracy are ever slow, sometimes all it takes is a little data to have them turn a bit faster in this case.

Alongside specific countries granting approval for limited field testing with employees, there is some light at the end of the tunnel for FSD in Europe, and hopes are that a release will occur by the end of 2025. With Europe now looking to North America for how FSD is performing, Tesla’s Robotaxi results could also play a role.

Tesla Launches 'TeslaVision' Contest With Big Prizes — See Last Year’s Winner [VIDEO]

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

Tesla’s marketing has always been relatively unconventional, relying on word-of-mouth rather than traditional advertising. The passion of the owner’s community is always massive, but it is especially high now with the launch of the Robotaxi network just around the corner.

Tesla is now tapping into that spring of fan creativity and announced the TeslaVision video contest, with some seriously impressive prizes up for grabs.

The Contest

The core of the contest is simple. Create a video that shows how your Tesla gives you more in life. Tesla is looking for submissions that highlight themes of freedom, safety, fun, and convenience.

Prizes

The prizes definitely make this contest worth entering if you’re good with a camera and have some basic video editing abilities.

For North America, the prizes include a brand new Model Y AWD Long Range, alongside an all-expenses-paid trip to Austin for a tour of Giga Texas. The grand prize winner will also be able to custom order their Model Y, allowing them to select their preferred wheels and color.

The two runners-up won’t get a Model Y, but they’ll also enjoy an all-expenses-paid trip to Giga Texas for a tour of the factory.

The travel and tour include lodging in Austin for 2 nights, as well as economy-class round-trip tickets from anywhere in North America. Tesla will also provide a vehicle for use during the trip.

Hopefully, these winners will also have the opportunity to experience the Robotaxi network while they’re in Austin, as it’s expected to be opened to the public later this month.

Project Loveday

For long-time followers of Tesla, this contest may feel familiar. The contest is a direct throwback to the 2017 Project Loveday contest, which was inspired by a letter to Tesla from a 10-year-old aspiring marketer. That contest was won by MKBHD, with his submission below:

How to Enter

If you’re ready to start filming, here are the key pieces of information you’ll need to know:

  • Video must be 90 seconds or less

  • Video must be uploaded to YouTube with a public URL

  • Make a post on X and Instagram tagging “@Tesla” and include the words “TeslaVision contest” in the post.

  • Provide links to both social media posts in your submission to Tesla’s form

  • Provide your personal details in the form

  • You have until July 17th, 2025, or until Tesla receives 10,000 entries, whichever comes first.

You can find the official submission form and all region-specific details on Tesla's website.

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