Tesla’s latest FSD (“Full Self-Driving”) release asks drivers to consent to Tesla collecting video from a car’s exterior and interior cameras in the event of an accident or “serious safety risk.” According to Electrek, this will be the first time Tesla will attach footage to a specific vehicle and driver.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Ford’s Mustang Mach-E Passes Michigan State Police Tests
Tesla has previously collected video footage as part of FSD, but it has only been used to train and improve its AI self-driving systems. However, under the new agreement, Tesla will be able to associate video with specific vehicles.
“By enabling FSD Beta, I agree to Tesla collecting VIN-associated image data from the vehicle’s external cameras and Cabin Camera in the event of a serious safety risk or a safety event such as a collision,” the agreement states.
By enabling FSD Beta, I consent to Tesla’s collection of VIN-associated image data from the vehicle’s external cameras and Cabin Camera in the occurrence of a serious safety risk or a safety event like a collision.
According to Electrek, the language could indicate that Tesla wants to have evidence in case its FSD system is blamed for an accident. It could also be used to detect and resolve serious issues more quickly.
FSD 10.3 was released more broadly than previous betas, but it was quickly withdrawn due to issues such as unwarranted Forward Collision Warnings, unexpected autobraking, and other issues.
At the time, CEO Elon Musk tweeted that such problems are “to be expected with beta software,” adding that “it is impossible to test all hardware configurations in all conditions with internal QA, thus public tests.”
Other drivers on public roads, however, are unwitting beta testers as well. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently looking into a driver’s claim that FSD caused a collision on November 3rd in Brea, California.
The owner claimed that it caused his Model Y to enter the wrong lane and collide with another vehicle, causing significant damage to both.
Tesla is making the new beta available to even more users who have Driver Safety Scores of 98 or higher — previously, beta releases were only available to drivers who had perfect 100 scores.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Volvo Has Revealed Its First Vehicle Made Of Fossil-Free Steel
Tesla charges drivers $199 per month or $10,000 all at once for the feature but has failed to meet promised deadlines for autonomous driving. The FSD system is currently considered a Level 2 system, far from the Level 4 required to truly be “full self-driving.”
