In typical Elon Musk style, Tesla started slowly rolling out its Full Self-Driving Capability beta package version 11 on November 11, 2022 (11/11), at 11:11 PM. For those unfamiliar, version 11 of the FSD Beta software is supposed to be a big step forward, and it's also the version Musk says will be widely released to all people in North America who have paid for the technology package.
Ever since Tesla started testing its FSD Beta package on public roads with owners at the wheel, there have been some owners who are concerned that they paid big money for the tech, and they still don't have permission to use it. Tesla implemented a Safety Score system for owners to prove their worth, and the automaker has been gradually loosening the requirements to become a beta tester.
That said, sooner than later it may not matter which Tesla owner it is or what their safety score is since FSD Beta version 11 will eventually roll out to all subscribers. Much like the onslaught of previous FSD updates, there will be a slow and calculated process before a wider rollout begins.
The tweet below contains a small portion of the FSD Beta Version 11 release notes referred to above:
Tesla tests the FSD software updates internally before releasing them to employees followed by a small group of public beta testers. Over time, the software starts to make its way into a growing number of vehicles, presumably those with seasoned beta testers who maintain high safety scores, though there's no way to know for sure.
Regardless, it seems Musk is suggesting that Tesla will be able to claim a "wide release" ahead of the end of 2022. There are about 6.5 weeks left in 2022, and Musk is talking about needing a few weeks plus a few weeks. In the past, the CEO's projections of two weeks or a few weeks have typically been a touch behind.
Getting back to version 11, if the update follows suit with what's been shared by Musk in the past, Tesla's FSD technology and its Autopilot highway stacks will merge into one single stack. This is supposed to make it so that Tesla's vehicles can seamlessly drive (with driver supervision and engagement when necessary) through the city, onto and off the highway, and into neighborhoods, etc.
Essentially, a Tesla EV with FSD version 11 will reportedly be able to complete full drives much like a human, though there are still too many edge cases to assume the tech can handle all situations without human intervention. Nonetheless, drivers should be able to allow the car to navigate its way from Point A to Point B while watching intently to ensure that they can take over if the technology disengages and/or quickly intervene if it seems confused about how to handle a specific situation.
Some 100,000 Tesla owners are already acting as FSD Beta testers, but we don't know how many people across North America have actually paid for the advanced driver-assistance package. Regardless, if Musk's optimistic words come true, every single Tesla in the US and Canada with paid access to FSD will be able to begin using it before 2022 comes to a close.
