Unedited footage of a Tesla Full Self-Driving beta test shows just how stressful the software can be to use
YouTube
- Marques Brownlee posted an unedited video of his commute to work using Tesla Full Self-Driving.
- The YouTuber said he's comfortable using FSD on the highway, but not everywhere.
- During the 23-minute drive, Brownlee disengaged the FSD three times.
A YouTuber's 23-minute drive to work highlights some of the anxiety Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) beta testers can experience during an everyday commute.
Marques Keith Brownlee, also known as MKBHD, posted an unedited video on YouTube of his trip to work using FSD last week. The YouTuber said he's been using the beta software for about two weeks, but has yet to get used to it.
He finds himself "hovering over the brake pedal," waiting to intervene if the car goes off course while using the feature, he said.
"Man, my heart rate is definitely higher during this drive than the average normal drive to the studio," Brownlee, who has over 16 million YouTube subscribers, said after the car delivered him safely to the studio. "It's a lot."
Tesla first released FSD in 2020 to select drivers, and since then, the software has been added to over 100,000 cars in the US. The Autopilot feature operates as a subscription that can be bought for a $15,000 flat fee or $199 monthly fee. FSD enables Teslas to automatically change lanes, enter and exit highways, recognize stop signs and traffic lights, and park. The software is still in a beta testing and requires a licensed driver to monitor it at all times.
During the drive, Brownlee disengaged the software on three occasions after it failed to recognize a construction zone and a traffic cone, and then struggled to get around a semi-truck with its hazards on.
The YouTuber said he usually took over from the software out of embarrassment, rather than fear for his safety, adding that the software is sometimes "very cautious" and drives "like an old lady."
"I'm sure if I wasn't as embarrassed, I could have just let it figure that out for a few more seconds, but I'd rather not do that," Brownlee said in the video after he took over on the expressway to avoid a slew of construction cones. "I'd rather just let it do its thing on roads its comfortable with."
Ultimately, Brownlee said he's comfortable using FSD on a highway, but "not much else," adding that he wouldn't be want to use FSD as a robotaxi.
He did note that the software possesses some advantages, like the ability to see four to five cars ahead, and that it has even adopted some human characteristics like giving bikers extra room in a lane.
Brownlee is far from the first to post videos of Tesla FSD in action. Last year, several YouTubers posted videos that showed bugs in the software — from the software failing to recognize pedestrians to attempting to turn into oncoming traffic.
Tesla has told drivers that the system does not replace a licensed driver, and instructs them to keep their hands on the wheel and be prepared to take over when the system is running.
During the video, the Tesla software repeatedly reminded Brownlee to touch the steering wheel. The YouTuber said the car has a camera in the cabin that monitors whether or not a driver is keeping their eyes on the road, and that the car will remind drivers to pay attention.
Other beta testers have found the software can be stressful. In 2020, a person claiming to be a FSD tester said that using the software is like "monitoring a novice 15-year-old student driver wearing an eyepatch behind the wheel."