False collision warnings and other issues have prompted Tesla to pull the latest version of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) beta less than a day after rolling it out for some vehicle owners.
Tesla decided to temporarily roll back to version 10.2 of FSD on Sunday following reports from some drivers of false collision warnings, sudden braking without any apparent reason, and the disappearance of the Autosteer option, among other issues.
In a tweet, Tesla chief Elon Musk confirmed that his team had decided to pull version 10.3 until the bugs have been dealt with.
“Seeing some issues with 10.3, so rolling back to 10.2 temporarily,” Musk said in his tweet, adding: “Please note, this is to be expected with beta software. It is impossible to test all hardware configs in all conditions with internal QA, hence public beta.”
Tesla debuted FSD 12 months ago for a small number of select drivers. Despite the name, FSD is actually a driver-assistance feature, with drivers expected to keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road at all times.
FSD version 10.2 launched earlier this month, with the beta software made available to drivers who scored perfect marks on Tesla’s new Safety Score test, which analyzes vehicle data to calculate a safety rating for each driver. For 10.3, Tesla relaxed the entry level a tiny bit and allowed eligible owners with a 99/100 score to receive the FSD software. The system is designed to give Tesla a degree of confidence that the FSD beta is being tested by drivers who exhibit a high level of responsibility when behind the wheel.
The performance of vehicles with driver-assistance systems is closely monitored by regulators. Tesla has faced criticism for the names that it uses for its own systems — Autopilot and Full Self-driving — which some believe can lead Tesla owners to be less attentive when behind the wheel.
In August, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched a probe into Tesla’s Autopilot system after a number of crashes that saw its cars slam into emergency vehicles. The safety agency has also been looking into other crashes involving Tesla vehicles.
With the ongoing scrutiny and the automaker’s reputation at stake, Tesla has decided to take the cautious route by quickly reversing the latest FSD beta release until it’s able to solve the highlighted issues.
