Elon Musk Says Tesla FSD Beta v12 will be ‘End-to-End AI from Images in to Steering, Brakes & Acceleration Out’

In late 2020, Tesla released the next generation of the company’s full self-driving software called FSD Beta.

This software version is a significant architectural rewrite of Tesla’s Autopilot software. Unlike previous iterations of Autopilot, FSD Beta requires merging all images coming from 8 cameras into a vector space that the vehicle uses to execute driving in the real world.

In simple terms, the new software creates a representation of the real world by piecing together images from the 8 cameras. The vehicle uses this virtual representation of the real world to make driving decisions.

The new approach has enabled Tesla to tackle more complex driving settings such as surface streets, roundabouts, and unprotected left turns, which are currently impossible for Tesla’s previous Autopilot software.

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Tesla initially released FSD Beta to the 3000 or so individuals in the company’s Early Access Program. However, that number has currently grown to more than 400,000 vehicles, and now the capability comes standard with any purchase of the full-self driving feature in the US and Canada.

Since FSD Beta’s initial rollout in late 2020, the software has seen several upgrades which have improved the smoothness and capabilities of the self-driving software.

Currently, Tesla is on FSD Beta v11.3. This iteration of the FSD software was only released last month and is the first version of FSD Beta to use all 8 cameras and neural nets to make driving decisions on highways.

This is as opposed to the autopilot software which did not utilize all the cameras and heavily relied on manually written codes to drive on highways.

Despite, FSD Beta v11.3’s improvements, the software still relies on some manually written codes to execute part of the driving task. And if Tesla plans to build genuinely driverless software, the company needs to migrate all driving tasks to be handled by AI.

Tesla engineers are currently working hard to that end. And today, Elon Musk has hinted that a fully AI-driven FSD Beta software is just around the corner. Musk's comments come in response to a Twitter user who wrote saying “Release notes look promising for V11.4.”

FSD Beta v11.4 is the next update for the company’s full self-driving software. Given the fact that the update is still part of the larger v11 software stalk, it would suggest that v.11.4 is a minor update, however, Musk has written on Twitter saying “Arguably, v11.4 should be v12.0, as there are so many major improvements.”

Musk then added that “v12 is reserved for when FSD is end-to-end AI, from images in to steering, brakes & acceleration out.”

Arguably, v11.4 should be v12.0, as there are so many major improvements. v12 is reserved for when FSD is end-to-end AI, from images in to steering, brakes & acceleration out.— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 7, 2023

This is certainly exciting news and means after FSD Beta v12, Tesla will not have any more fundamental AI development left. All the FSD Beta software will migrate to AI, then what is left is to train the AI with better data until Tesla feels confident enough to no longer require a driver to sit behind the sit.

Currently, it’s breathtaking to witness all the improvements coming with every new release of the FSD Beta software. And we will be sure to keep you posted along the ride as Tesla advances to level 5 full autonomy.

So what do you think? Excited that Tesla is close to releasing fully AI FSD software? Also, how long do you think until the EV maker reaches level 5 autonomy? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Image: Screenshot from Whole Mars Catalog YouTube channel

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Tinsae Aregay has been following Tesla and The evolution of the EV space on a daily basis for several years. He covers everything about Tesla from the cars to Elon Musk, the energy business, and autonomy. Follow Tinsae on Twitter at @TinsaeAregay for daily Tesla news.