Elon Musk has mandated Tesla employees to install and demonstrate the Full Self-Driving Beta for every customer taking delivery in North America.
Full Self-Driving (FSD) Beta is an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) that automates driving on city streets and highways but requires the driver’s attention at all times, remaining a level 2 system despite its name.
Tesla aims to enhance the system until it can eliminate the need for the driver’s attention, making it a true self-driving system.
The automaker is currently deploying version 12 of its FSD Beta system, which powers vehicle controls with neural networks, representing a significant advancement for the system.
Tesla offers its Full Self-Driving package for $12,000 or a $200 monthly subscription. While the take rate of the package has never been officially disclosed, data suggests it may be lower than 20% in North America, and likely much lower globally due to limited access to FSD Beta in other markets.
To increase the take rate, Elon Musk has instructed Tesla employees to install the FSD Beta software on all new cars being delivered in North America and conduct short test drives with new buyers.
In an email to employees, Musk stated:
“Going forward, it is mandatory in North America to install and activate FSD V12.3.1 and take customers on a short test ride before handing over the car.”
Musk expressed a desire for more people to realize how well supervised FSD works, highlighting its capabilities.
Over the years, Tesla has streamlined vehicle delivery tasks to reduce bottlenecks in operations. It is now common to take delivery of a Tesla vehicle in minutes, with employees directing customers to instructional videos on the car’s center display for functionality information.
Requiring a demo drive with every new delivery is expected to significantly increase the workload at Tesla stores and delivery centers. Musk acknowledged this in his email, stating:
“I know this will slow down the delivery process, but it is nonetheless a hard requirement.”
The move underscores Tesla’s commitment to showcasing the capabilities of its FSD technology and encouraging more customers to adopt the feature.
