An incredible time lapse video captured a self-driving Tesla traveling from Los Angeles to Silicon Valley without human intervention.
The Tesla Model 3 Performance’s 358-mile ride had a human backup driver to take over during emergencies and charge the car on the go.
Tesla enthusiast and YouTuber Whole Mars Catalog (WMC), who made the six-hour journey, compressed into a 15-minute clip.
He said the fact that there was no intervention proved “that this is more than just luck.”
“The software is getting better,” he added.
WMC explained that he only had to stop once to charge the car in Kettleman City, about halfway through his trip.
Tesla enthusiast Whole Mars Catalog used the automaker’s still-beta Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology to bring a Model 3 from Los Angeles to Silicon Valley
The WMC video starts at SpaceX’s headquarters in Hawthorne and drove to San Jose with just one stop at a charging station.
“The fact that it made it all the way to Los Angeles and then came back again without intervention suggests this is more than just luck,” reads the video’s caption.
‘The software is getting better. This drive was even better than the last, although there were still many bugs and areas for improvement that didn’t require a shutdown. ‘
WMC drove the same Tesla prototype from San Francisco to Los Angeles in December, almost without human intervention.
Video shows driver’s view on Tesla Model 3 upgraded with experimental Full Self-Driving technology on the 380 mile journey.
Pictured is the Tesla’s six-hour journey that began in Hawthorne outside of Los Angeles and ended in San Jose
The Tesla Model 3 Performance completed the 358-mile drive from Los Angeles to Silicon Valley unassisted. It did have a human backup driver on board but the only one took over to charge the car once
The electric sedan was seen in a variety of traffic situations, from highways to city streets, and was adapted from navigation to autopilot when necessary.
However, it wasn’t a fully self-driving tour: in the video you can see how the human owner takes control to avoid some debris on the road and charge the car on the way.
There was also some ‘erratic’ driving on San Francisco’s Market Street, Engadget reported.
Whole Mars Catalog only took over the wheel a few times during a drive from San Francisco to LA, among other things to avoid debris and charge the car
A select number of Tesla owners have been invited to test the technology and share the results of using the new system.
Launched in October, FSD is heralded as an ‘advanced driver assistance system’ that uses external cameras, radar, ultrasonic sensors and a powerful on-board computer to steer, change lanes, park, navigate on and off highways To brake and stop at traffic lights.
Last fall, YouTuber Dan Markham and SpaceX enthusiast Eli Burton filmed their ride down Las Vegas Boulevard on a Tesla Model S equipped with FSD.
Tesla was just shy of meeting CEO Elon Musk’s goal of delivering 500,000 vehicles by 2020, the company announced on Saturday.
It missed the target with less than 500 cars, but since the final numbers are still adding up, it could still cross the threshold.
The vow was made long before the global coronavirus pandemic shut down factories around the world, throwing established resources into chaos.
Tesla introduced its FSD technology to beta in October and allowed select users to test it out (stock photo)
So proud of the Tesla team for reaching this important milestone! At the start of Tesla, I thought we (optimistically) had a 10% chance of surviving at all, ” Musk tweeted Saturday. Tesla is responsible for 2/3 of all personal and professional pain in my life together. But it was worth it.’
In November, Consumer Reports removed Tesla’s Model S sedan and Model Y crossover SUV from the ‘recommended’ list due to a number of reliability issues.
The review organization dropped the cars due to issues with the Model S’s air suspension and main computer and touch screens, and the crossover lost support due to body hardware and paint issues, CNBC reported.
Consumer Reports continues to recommend the Tesla Model 3 used by Whole Mars Catalog.
Tesla’s Model S sedan (seen here) and Model Y crossover SUV are no longer ‘recommended’ by Consumer Reports due to a number of reliability issues. The review organization dropped the cars due to issues with the Model S air suspension and the main computer and touch screens
Many owners of the Model S Saloon and Model Y crossover SUV have reported problems with their vehicles over the years – claims that have lowered Tesla’s overall ratings.
In 2015, the Model S was listed as the top-rated vehicle, but Jake Fisher, senior director of automotive testing at Consumer Reports, told CNBC the group has seen a number of issues posed by drivers of the vehicle.
“It staggered throughout its life cycle,” he said, highlighting the fact that it was first introduced in 2012.
In November, Tesla emailed a number of owners that their warranties would be extended to cover several issues such as a faulty memory card.
The move could have been an attempt to avoid lawsuits or even a mandatory recall.
Shortly after the email was sent, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched a safety probe for Model S and Model X vehicles built between 2012 and early 2018 – approximately 159,000 vehicles.
“The data shows failure rates of more than 30 percent in certain construction months and accelerated failure trends after three to four years of service,” the agency said.
Last month, Tesla’s Freemont, California plant abruptly ceased production of the Model S and Model X SUV.
No details were given as to why the production lines of those cars closed between December 24 and January 11, but a revamped Model S was reportedly seen around Palo Alto last week.
“This previously unseen design looks like it has a wider body than the Model S, updated headlights and wheels, a new rear diffuser and a more pronounced mudguard,” Gizmodo reported.
It is not known if the car was indeed a redesign or if it addresses the issues raised by Consumer Reports.