Tesla demonstrates Self-Driving Software in Australia through a video clip, featuring initial right-hand drive tests in Melbourne.
Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) is set to make its debut in Australia soon, marking a significant step forward for the company's autonomous vehicle technology. The Australian launch comes after Tesla's robotaxi service in Texas and ongoing preparations for broader FSD releases in Europe and China.
The National Transport Commission and Tesla have confirmed regulatory approval is in place, signalling government openness to autonomous vehicle technology. Tesla's Australian country director, Thom Drew, has confirmed that the company is in the final stages of validation before launch, with no regulatory obstacles remaining.
Initially, the FSD will be supervised, requiring driver oversight, and will begin with vehicles equipped with Tesla's latest Hardware 4 (HW4). While a specific date has not been announced, it is expected within a few months, potentially very shortly.
Tesla has demonstrated FSD tests publicly in Sydney and Melbourne, including navigating complex maneuvers like tram intersection hook turns. The company recently released a video showcasing a new Model 3 on the streets of downtown Melbourne, demonstrating the system's ability to handle urban driving scenarios unique to Australia.
Unlike competitors such as Waymo, Tesla's end-to-end computer vision approach does not require prior mapping of specific locations. This flexibility has allowed Tesla to bring FSD to a new region without the extensive groundwork needed by rivals.
The activation of FSD for customers in Australia is subject to development progress and regulatory approval. The price for FSD in Australia is currently AU$10,100, cheaper than what it is offered for in North America (C$11,000/US$8,000).
The release of the Melbourne demonstration video indicates a concrete step towards bringing FSD to Australian customers. However, as of yet, there is no concrete timeline for the launch of FSD in Australia.
The video showcases the Tesla Model 3's ability to perform a hook turn, a maneuver that is unique to Melbourne and demonstrates the system's adaptability to Australia's road conditions and traffic patterns. The video, an "engineering test drive in a prototype vehicle," debuts FSD in a right-hand drive (RHD) market, expanding the company's FSD capabilities beyond left-hand drive markets.
As Tesla continues to push the boundaries of autonomous driving technology, the Australian launch of FSD is an exciting development for both Tesla and the country. The scalability of Tesla's vision-only autonomous driving strategy, as demonstrated in Australia, could pave the way for wider adoption of autonomous vehicles in the future.
- Tesla's move to launch Full Self-Driving (FSD) in Australia is a sign of growing acceptance and interest in autonomous vehicle technology within the industry, particularly in the realm of transportation and finance.
- With its flexible computer vision approach, Tesla is able to bring FSD to new regions like Australia without extensive groundwork, setting itself apart from competitors such as Waymo.
- The activation of FSD in Australia will offer customers an affordable option, with the price lower than that in North America, potentially facilitating a broader adoption of autonomous vehicles in the Australian automotive market, driven by technology advancements.
