Manhattan rush hour is the ultimate test of self-driving. So, how does Tesla’s new FSD 13 do? Let’s find out…
Tesla started rolling out its latest self-driving system, FSD 13, over the last few weeks. Tesla owners are already raving about it. One even used FSD 13 in Manhattan and uploaded the results to YouTube.
Driving Through Chaos
The drive begins at Grand Central in the heart of Midtown Manhattan during rush hour. Right away, we encounter a very difficult left turn on Park Avenue.
The Tesla has to navigate a divided street and make the left as cars, pedestrians, and bikes swarm around it. I’m on pins and needles just watching.
The Tesla creeps up slowly and waits. Once the traffic has cleared, it accelerates confidently and makes the turn.
Beautiful! But another difficult test is coming right up…
Master of the Edge Cases
In most of America, you can turn right on red. Not in New York City.
The owner explains that his Tesla used to ignore this idiosyncratic law. That could be a huge problem, resulting in tickets or worse.
Now, with FSD 13, it respects this unusual rule and waits for the green. Perfection!
Since When Do Food Delivery Guys Use Rollerskates?
Christmastime is peak insanity in Manhattan. The island is teeming with tourists from all over. I was there recently and it was difficult to even walk, much less drive.
Everywhere this Tesla goes, pedestrians crowd around it. Bikes zoom this way and that way. There’s even a food delivery guy on rollerskates!
FSD 13 navigates the situation just right, giving pedestrians a wide berth but not stalling out entirely.
It’s driving better than the average skilled human. It’s driving like a human skilled at navigating New York City.
Would I Use FSD 13?
As great as FSD 13 is, I wouldn’t feel comfortable using it.
The most recent data I can find (September) shows that FSD requires an intervention roughly every 13 miles. I can’t find any data specifically for FSD 13, but knowing I could have to intervene at any time would stress me out majorly.
That said, watching the Tesla drive itself, it really does seem to know what it’s doing. Maybe it is safe?
Game Over for Professional Drivers
My cousin is a truck driver. He’s 59. By the time self-driving is everywhere, he’ll be retired.
But if he were my age (38), I’d tell him to start training for a new job immediately. I’d say the same to any Uber driver or food delivery person (even if you use rollerskates).
These jobs could be gone within 5 years. If you’re not training for a new career today, you’re making a huge mistake.
Wrap-Up
Tesla FSD 13 is incredibly impressive. They’ve built a near-perfect robotic driver using nothing more than cameras.
And if it can navigate Manhattan rush hour without a single mistake, it should crush it everywhere else.
This is the last post of the year. I’ll see you again on January 6th, 2025.
Have a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year everyone, and thanks for reading Tremendous all year!
More on tech:
Autonomous Driving in Central London
Why Most Startups Suck at Enterprise Sales
Save Money on Stuff I Use:
This platform lets me diversify my real estate investments so I’m not too exposed to any one market. I’ve invested since 2018 with great returns.
More on Fundrise in this post.
If you decide to invest in Fundrise, you can use this link to get $100 in free bonus shares!
I’ve used Misfits for years, and it never disappoints! Every fruit and vegetable is organic, super fresh, and packed with flavor!
I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.
Use this link to sign up and you’ll save $15 on your first order.
Tremendous 
Leave a comment