Tesla's FSD Suddenly Veers Off and Crashes into a Tree, According to Driver | Carscoops

      The driver of a new Model 3 Highland escaped serious injuries but claims he will never use Full Self-Driving again.

      A Tesla Model 3 reportedly crashed while operating on Full Self-Driving (Supervised).

      Video captured from the vehicle depicts it veering into oncoming traffic, rolling onto grass, and finally striking a tree.

      If the video is accurate, Tesla needs to quickly investigate what occurred.

      While autonomous driving may represent the future, the current situation requires significant clarification. This is particularly true when vehicles boasting "Full Self-Driving" abilities veer off the road without a clear explanation.

      In recent footage, a Tesla appears to crash while running what the company refers to as its autonomous system, Full Self-Driving (Supervised). It is especially troubling that this incident occurred in broad daylight, with no other traffic on a straight road.

      Tesla is well-known for utilizing vision-based hardware and software for its semi-autonomous Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (Supervised) systems. Theoretically, this approach is logical since humans primarily rely on vision to drive. However, there are substantial concerns about its effectiveness, which this video emphasizes.

      The Incident: Straight Road, Sharp Left Turn

      A YouTube channel recently shared four videos depicting different angles of a crash involving a Model 3, which was reportedly running FSD version 13.2.8—one of the latest versions available. Although version 13.2.8 was released on May 11, the crash happened on February 26, indicating the vehicle was up-to-date at the time.

      The most shocking aspect of the video is what transpires during the crash. In three of the clips, the car appears to be driving normally for 45 seconds on a two-lane road, until a car passes from the opposite direction. Suddenly, the vehicle makes a sharp left turn, crosses the opposing lane, drives off the road, and collides with a tree, flipping over. The entire incident unfolds in less than three seconds, which is alarming, but the surrounding conditions make the situation even more concerning for Tesla.

      The road was entirely straight. The incident seems to have occurred during either the early or late part of the day, as indicated by the long shadows cast on the ground. The sunlight was bright, with no cloud cover, ensuring adequate visibility. Additionally, there were no complex traffic scenarios like road markings, other vehicles, or signs.

      Despite these conditions, it appears that the vehicle, while under FSD, inexplicably decided to leave the roadway. Compounding the confusion are reports from YouTubers testing FSD against stationary objects on the road, where the system typically slows down or stops to avoid obstacles, rarely executing such aggressive steering maneuvers at speed.

      The Lidar Issue

      This brings us back to the discussion of vision-based autonomous driving systems. While humans rely on vision to navigate, Tesla aims to do the same but has faced criticism for its decision to exclude lidar and radar technology.

      While vision systems can be effective, lidar and radar can provide additional functionality, especially in poor weather conditions like fog. These technologies could also serve as a backup to validate what a vision system detects. Nonetheless, Tesla abandoned them years ago, and CEO Elon Musk seems determined not to reintegrate them.

      Driver Accounts

      The individual who shared the videos on Reddit stated he was traveling at approximately 55 mph during the crash. He reflected, “I loved the FSD until this happened. I firmly believed in autonomous vehicles until this happened to me. Lesson learned.” Fortunately, his injuries were minor, including a chin cut, some lower back pain, and what he termed “emotional damage.”

      There are still many unknowns surrounding this incident. Though the videos and their descriptions appear to be credible, there could be additional context that has not been revealed. If no further details emerge, Tesla may face significant backlash. The car's owner has requested all data related to the crash, so more information may become available.

      Previous accidents involving the software often provided some justification for Tesla advocates. However, based on the four videos available, it seems that FSD has made its most conspicuous error in a public setting.

      If such incidents can occur with the hardware and software intended for Tesla’s forthcoming Robotaxi service, the company will need to be even more cautious than it currently plans. When asked whether he would buy another Tesla, the owner’s response was striking: “I want another but would NEVER use FSD again.” It's understandable why he feels that way.