Elon Musk is demanding a demonstration of the FSD system for all Tesla buyers in North America

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk is now requiring Tesla employees to install and demonstrate the operation of the company's premium Full Self-Driving (FSD) driver assistance system to all potential car buyers in North America before handing over the vehicle.

Here's What We Know

In an email to employees, Musk said that in the future, installation and activation of FSD V12.3.1 and a short test drive with customers before handing over the vehicle will be mandatory in North America. He explained that this requirement is due to the fact that "Almost no one actually realizes how well (supervised) FSD actually works".

Musk acknowledged that the new rules will slow down the car delivery process, but called them "hard requirement".

For most customers in North America, the FSD option costs $199 a month on top of the cost of the car. It supplements the standard Autopilot driver assistance system with more advanced features, but Tesla insists that with FSD or FSD Beta, the driver must be ready to take control at a moment's notice.

Tesla also distributed a memo to employees urging them to sign up for extra shifts at the end of the first quarter to ensure cars are delivered to customers on time.

Flashback

Artificial intelligence plays a key role in Tesla's FSD system. It analyses data from a host of sensors, including cameras, radar and ultrasonic sensors, to accurately perceive its surroundings.

This allows the car to autonomously navigate the roads, recognise and avoid obstacles, and obey traffic laws.

However, despite the name Full Self-Driving, the system does not turn Tesla cars into fully autonomous vehicles and requires the driver's constant attention.

Source: CNBC