Tesla to disable rolling stops after NHTSA recall

Assertive driving profile in FSD beta will get a little less assertive, but the agency is not requiring any major changes.

Last fall Tesla introduced a version of its Full Self-Driving beta software that features selectable driving profiles. Those who were able to test the software (on themselves and others) noticed that among the three profiles, “Chill,” “Average,” and “Assertive,” only the latter offered something that police officers frown upon, and for which they may issue a citation.

Among other things like not exiting the passing lane and performing more frequent lane changes, the Assertive profile of the FSD beta software could also allow the vehicle to “perform rolling stops.”

The rolling stop feature only functions when seven particular conditions are met, including when the car approaches an all-way stop intersection at speeds below 5.6 mph, and when no pedestrians, bicyclists, or other moving cars are detected near the intersection. Other factors that had to be met include sufficient visibility at the time, and all roads leading up to the intersection having a speed limit of 30 mph or less.

As you’ve probably guessed by now, performing rolling stops is something that the NHTSA has also found itself frowning upon several months after the feature was rolled out, citing an increase in the risk of a crash if not a traffic ticket as well (because rolling through stop signs is illegal, we should point out).

Since this function was release, NHTSA has met with Tesla representatives twice last month, and the automaker decided to conduct a voluntary recall potentially involving 53,822 vehicles. This includes Model S and Model X vehicles from the 2016-22 model years, Model 3 sedans from 2017-22 model years, and Model Y crossovers from the 2020-22 model years. Tesla will distribute an OTA update that will disable the rolling stop feature, NHTSA notes, but it makes no mention of any other features under the Assertive driving profile.

“I would be shocked if we do not achieve Full Self-Driving safer than human this year. I would be shocked,” the Tesla CEO said on an investor conference call.

Of course, there is no consensus of just what Musk means by achieving Full Self-Driving, as Tesla engineers have previously told to California regulators that the system is not meant to exceed SAE Level 2, with the automaker still requiring drivers to keep their eyes on the road and hands on the steering wheel. As a result of those requirements alone, FSD is not by definition a Level 3 eyes-off, hands-off system. Musk’s curious inclusion of the qualification “Full Self-Driving safer than human” on the recent conference call raised a few questions among industry watchers about the exact standard Tesla seeks to achieve with this particular system, even as more advanced systems from other automakers that do not require drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel or eyes on the road approach market debuts. autoweek.com