Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology faced a significant challenge recently when tested in the multi-story car park of the Commercial Club in Albury, Australia. This location features one of the country’s largest clusters of Tesla Superchargers, with 16 charging stations situated on the first floor. The test aimed to evaluate whether the FSD could successfully navigate to the Supercharger, including handling a steep ramp that leads to the charging area.
Upon entering the destination of the Albury Supercharger into the navigation system, the Tesla initially parked on the street rather than entering the car park. This unexpected decision indicated that the FSD was not prepared to manage the car park’s complexities. The driver subsequently took control, entering the car park manually before re-engaging the FSD system in hopes that it could navigate to the Supercharger.
The FSD system successfully managed to navigate up the on-ramp, but as the car approached the steep incline, it came to a halt. The FSD indicator, which had been prominently displayed, now indicated a lack of confidence in the vehicle’s ability to proceed. While the driver instinctively understood that it was safe to continue, the FSD exhibited caution, reflecting its programming to avoid potential hazards. After the driver gently pressed the accelerator, the vehicle proceeded to the first-floor level where the chargers are located.
Interestingly, rather than directing the vehicle to a Supercharger bay, the FSD continued upwards through subsequent, less steep ramps until it reached the top floor. After the car registered the geographical coordinates of the Supercharger, it cleared the destination and entered free-roam mode, foregoing any attempt to park at the charging station.
Once the vehicle was charged, the next step was to test its navigation skills while exiting the car park. This time, the FSD adeptly handled the turns necessary to descend the exit ramp from level one to ground level. However, as the car approached the exit, it mistakenly chose to turn left instead of right. Fortunately, the absence of traffic meant this error did not present a danger, but it highlighted an area for improvement in the navigation system.
The miscalculation raised questions about the FSD’s decision-making process in complex environments. The driver noted that even a human would have struggled to determine the correct turn without clear lane markings. This suggests that the FSD needs enhanced algorithms to better interpret such scenarios, particularly in distinguishing left from right in ambiguous situations.
Overall, the test demonstrated that Tesla’s FSD technology is capable of navigating certain environments, but it also revealed areas that require further development. The vehicle showed no signs of difficulty detecting other vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles, but it struggled with vertical navigation and displayed a lack of confidence in scenarios involving limited visibility.
Tesla’s FSD currently operates predominantly on a two-dimensional plane based on latitude and longitude coordinates, which may limit its effectiveness in multi-story environments. As the company continues to refine its software, improvements in understanding vertical routing could significantly enhance user experience in similar situations in the future.
For a closer look at the FSD’s performance in the Albury car park, a video documenting the experience is available for viewing.
