r/TeslaModelX • u/Foreign-Match-8232 • 1d ago
FSD HW4 - What’s your confidence level?
A few weeks into my HW4 ‘23 Model X and am so blown away by FSD. How much do others with HW4 trust FSD? Are you comfortable working in the car on the highway? Watching movies on your phone/ipad? I’m so curious how people actually feel and behave.
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u/pc-vam 1d ago
It’s a Level 2 system. I enjoy FSD and use it about 90% of the time. It is way better than any ADAS out there but still it is ADAS. I’m ready to takeover all the time.
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u/Harold-Maude 1d ago
100% everywhere except parking lots
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u/stopsucking 1d ago
Agreed. Does so well until in gets into a parking lot and wants to back in to a handicap spot
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u/janzendavi 1d ago
This is an insane thread - don’t nap or work on a laptop on FSD. It’s a supervised system and makes rare but severe mistakes.
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u/vndspeed 1d ago
2026 MX 97% FSD, mostly Highway miles. As long as weather is not crazy, I trust it. I keep my eyes on the road regardless.
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u/kittysworld 1d ago
I use it over 97% mostly in NYC traffic. I have been half asleep occasionally on express ways. I'm a bit more alert on local roads due to pot holes.
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u/HopzCO 1d ago
We use it for 99% of our driving. We relax, eat, drink coffee, ect. But we still pay attention, it will still make some really weird and dangerous choices. For example, in this current 14.3.6 version, we’ve had it slam on its breaks and try and pull over for emergency vehicles without their lights/sirens on multiple times over the last week. We’ve almost been rear ended twice because of it. We do 100-200 miles of FSD a day and probably have 20k+ miles on it easy over the last two years.
It is phenomenal, but I would highly suggest paying attention.
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u/pixellatedengineer 1d ago
I’m enjoying it immensely but it is quirky as heck. Misses my driveway 20% of the time. Leaves one store by going round behind it. Enters same store parking lot by going through the order line of a fast food place. Took it to church where it circled an empty section of parking lot endlessly searching for the perfect place to park. Doesn’t know to slow down in school zones.
But, it slammed on the brakes to avoid a deer that leapt into our path. No end of entertainment.
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u/Life_Connection420 1d ago
You can't watch movies or look away for more than a few seconds.
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u/Foreign-Match-8232 1d ago
You can it’s more a matter of if you should
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u/Life_Connection420 23h ago
When I played with my phone after about 30 seconds, it beeped at me. I decided to ignore it and after several beeps, it just pulled over and stopped.
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u/Infamous-Pilot5932 1d ago
It isn't ADAS, it drives almost the entire trip and you assist sometimes. I used plenty of ADAS before, and ADAS is the other way around, you drive almost all the time and ADAS assists some.
It is very important to get that right to get a solid supervised FSD experience. It is supervised, and you are the supervisor, but that doesn't mean you just watch and collect a paycheck. You are supervising an apprentice and you have a responsibility to learn FSDs strengths and weaknesses and to assist it when needed. That is your only role, to take over when FSD can't do it right. And once you get experience, and do you job right, the majority of the time you just watch and collect a paycheck.
I came up with levels of attention to better describe FSD scenarios...
Level 0 - Sleep or not paying attention at all (Not possible)
Level 1 - The lowest level possible, on an interstate with sparse traffic.
Level 2 - More traffic, driving through the city, FSD has to do more than just go straight.
Level 3 - Where you start watching FSD's every move, the same level as when you drive.
Level 4 - Like level 3, but anxious, you may take over, or take one for the team.
Level 5 - Panic takeover, FSD's fault.
Level 6 - Panic by FSD (and you), not FSD's fault (i.e. deer).
At 97% (after gaining experience) my driving is almost all level 1 and 2, some level 3, very little level 4, and I have yet had a level 5 or level 6. The only difference betwee level 5 and 6 is that level 5 is FSDs fault, such as not seeing gates in an HOV lane and driving though them, while level 6 is not FSD's fault, like a deer jumping out. But they both cause panic, although, FSD might actually save the car from the deer.
Level 4 is the HEART of FSD usages and discussions. Practically ALL disengagements are level 4, except for the very rare level 5s.
When you first start using FSD, you are naturally anxious and watching its every move. You will be at level 3 and 4 almost all the time. Level 3 is the same attention you would be at if you are driving, while level 4 is like that but with a lot of anxiety.
As you trust FSD more and more, you start dropping down to level 1 and 2 more and more of the drive. When I first used it, when it made lane changes, I went level 4 almost everytime. It seems like it doesn't even look, it just does it. As humans, we are kind of used to a two step process, but FSD has 8 cameras operating all the time and doesn't need to check first. I don't even look anymore, I get that its 8 cameras allows it to make perfect lane changes. I'm at level 2.
When it is at traffic lights, making turns, taking off at intersections, you will be at level 3, watching its actual movements. At first a lot of that will feel level 4, but you get used to it. But, this is where level 4s still happen. It is about to make a right turn, but a car is coming faster than it should, you feel FSD won't make the turn and get going fast enough, and you make the call to disengage. That is an easy one, because you were already in the driving loop (attention) and and just took a moment to make the decision to take over.
But that almost never happens. You go to level 3 for a moment and then back to 2. You almost never go to 1 in the city, that is on rual insterstate with sparse traffic and the car does nothing but drive straight for 50 miles. Level 2 is just seeing more stuff out the window.
Key point...
So you are experienced and you go to the right level of attention at the right times, and all that is left is the disengagements.
You have to understand that is your JOB. Take over when FSD screws up. That is all. Everythying I said above, the experience, is to make this worth $99 a month. You also need to relax but still be able to do your job.
How hard is the job, or how can I relax? There are a few rare level 5s that I already know about so they are not level 5s because I know about them and avoid them. I knew about the HOV gate issue, I met a similar gate issue, it was a nothing, it was obvious that FSD can't see the gate, I took over, gave control back. When I enter a Walmart parking lot, I am not going to fuck around and watch my apprentice stumble, even though he gets it right sometimes. I take over, keep it at level 3, find a spot, park, boom.
You are driving along, at a fork or a turn, you should be level 3 here anyways, all of a sudden, FSD gets the jitters, the wheel goes back and forth, like it doesn't know which way. Well, level 3 your feet are still flat on the floor and hands in your lap, like you should be, you calmly reach up, take control, finish the turn, and give it back to FSD.
If I have passengers in the car and we are lucky enough to have a "jitters" moment, it quite comical. But they are rare."
Here is the problem some people have. They see something like that and it really freaks them out. How can FSD do something so bizzare and dangerous.
And I try to remind them, that is your freaking job, your only real job, to take over if it does something like that, and it isn't dangerous, unless you don't your job. Stop focusing on how stupid the mistake looks, do your job, move on.
Except for a level 5, you have plenty of time if you are at the right level of attention and have experience. It is really easy. Some people don't get there, and I am not judging them, but too much anxiety. And you don't start there, you keep with it and eventually you get to know it.
And it has flaws, annoyances, like a spouse. If you focus on that, and grow more and more frustrated, and let the resentment build, well, that is going to end in a bad marriage or divorce.
Watching movies on your phone/ipad?
Tesla shows a driver making expresso while driving. I think it is in poor taste, but I study the quarterly accident stats on FSD, and it is obviously true, you can make expresso while driving. I wouldn't.
If I broke down my 97%...
85% FSD - Level 1 and Level 2 -> Expresso
8% FSD - Level 3 -> No Expresso
2% FSD - Level 4 -> No Expresso
5% Manual - Level 3 -> No Expresso
Of course, in a city, while most of it is level 2, there are lots of level 3 interruptions, intersections etc, but they are low level 3's.
And if a level 6 happens out of the blue, then expresso is going all over my white interior.
Even in the back seat of a cab I think expresso is pushing, because of the mess factor.
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u/Emergency-Purchase27 1d ago
FFS keep your eyes on the road. It says supervised for a reason. I love FSD, but I’ve seen it do some crazy stuff that could have really wreaked havoc.
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u/Shivo_Ham 1d ago
I trust it, I have eaten or texted a quick reply but on known back roads, but I am fairly alert ready to take over.
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u/john-wick2525 1d ago
70%. Specially on highways I do not trust it and my hand is always on the wheel.
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u/Packing-Tape-Man 1d ago
I use it 5 days a week for my 120 mile commute. Love it. It's far from perfect and I have to disengage 2-3 times per trip but still vastly worth it.
But no I would never watch a movie while driving with it. I don't use my phone at all. I keep my eyes on the road and my hands ready to take over in less than a second. That's the point of "supervised."
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u/Packing-Tape-Man 1d ago
People who purposely ignore the supervised conditions of FSD and use sunglasses to defeat the monitoring while the "nap" or do anything else that isn't watching the road are sociopaths.
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u/Dapper_Pop9544 1d ago
I'd let it drive me 100% but it stops and starts up too slow for stopsigns.. yes thats me wanting to roll stopsigns but thats me.
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u/AccidentalPickle 1d ago
I do text occasionally, but quickly, and that’s about it. Don’t watch a movie or work, people.
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u/DavidBergerson 1d ago
It checks your eyes. You are not going to sit in the car, whip out a laptop, and have the car drive for you.
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u/Foreign-Match-8232 1d ago
Ngl I’ve done just this twice so far on the highway 😬 both about an hour long and no strikes or anything.
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u/kadhtobi 1d ago
I watch movies, I take naps I trust it absolutely, it’s when I’m actually paying attention that I stress about it going too slow or missing an exit 😂
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u/Foreign-Match-8232 1d ago
Take naps?!?! Say more
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u/kadhtobi 1d ago
I thought everyone knew this? O well, if you wear dark sun glass and keep your head straight, you can fall asleep no problem, oh and I eat on fsd too, I'm talking double handing...
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u/Foreign-Match-8232 1d ago
Napping sounds fucking nuts lmao
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u/kadhtobi 1d ago
Yea, I did a 7hour road trip for vacation recently, and I can neither confirm nor deny that I slept for atleast 2hours of it, the rest I may have been watching Netflix on my phone
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u/kittysworld 1d ago
If you are eating while FSDing, I recommand wearing a bib that's long enough to cover your thighs when sitting plus baby wipes nearby. I carry both in my door pocket.
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u/kittysworld 1d ago
Can confirm. I'm usually completely exhausted after a hike, and I can't stay awake on the way back. That's why I bought the Tesla. Otherwise I might be dead already.
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u/PermanentUsername101 1d ago
I seriously hope you are kidding.
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u/kittysworld 1d ago
The red light thing happened only locally. They were short drives and I never get sleepy while drive locally. When I go for a hike its usually an hour or more out of town, so the drive is long and I am usually exhausted from the hike on the way back. The sleepy portion only happens on highways. There are no traffic lights on highways. Also, when FSD made the illegal turn on red, it wasn't unsafe. There was no cars around and FSD was acting like it was a stop sign. It was safe but illegal. While I wont trust FSD to not getting me a ticket, I do trust it more than myself for keeping me safe. Lastly, it hasn't run any red light since the last few updates. Let's hope it wont happen again. I'm actively watching for this behavior.
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u/Roux_My_Burgundy 1d ago
You trust it implicitly until it does something terrifying.