I’m ‘driving’ a 2025 Tesla Model 3 Long Range RWD (HW4) car currently running software version 2025.45.7 and FSD v14.2.2.2. And as you can see in the image below, I am giving FSD a fair workout:
No, I’m not David Moss who, by the way, is driving the very same car and FSD version as I am.
Most of my driving is on rural 2-lane Pennsylvania roads with no shoulders, tricky intersections, and LOTS of potholes. And did I mention, some pretty bad drivers!
Up to this point I have only used FSD when periodic free demos became available. And up to this point each previous version has tried to kill me at least once – sometimes more than once since I’m a slow learner. So with FSD I developed the famous ‘Tried to Kill Me’ test for FSD. This test basically puts FSD through its normal paces until it does something really stupid and deadly. Examples include trying to make a sharp right-hand turn without signaling at 40 mph, or veering into traffic to avoid a harmless object.
Which brings me to applying the TTKM test to today’s FSD version 14.2.2.2. Note this version isn’t perfect either, but I feel the equation has shifted from actively trying to kill me to actively trying to protect me. Maybe I need a new TTPM test – seems appropriate considering. So what’s so great about this version FSD. Let me count the ways:
- Excellent handling of school buses, stopped delivery vehicles, road construction cones, signage and traffice control crews and devices
- Good speed management in all 5 settings sloth to mad max
- Good lane position, even when there are no lane markings
- Reasonable pothole and puddle avoidance, though small (and unusally very deep) potholes aren’t seen or avoided (hence the justification for tire and rim insurance)
- Good acceleration and stopping performance (for those using USAA’s SafePilot program for insurance discounts, using FSD almost never results in a ‘harsh braking’ strike*)
- And there’s more…
*Question: Is using FSD with a program like SafePilot cheating? I say no, because if the program is all about safe driving, and FSD can drive safer than a human, then this works to USAA’s benefit.
Question: If FSD is so good, should USAA be giving me a discount? I say yes. This version IS that good.
So now to answer your question about why only 74% driving on FSD over the last 1,750 miles. My answer to that is two fold. First, there are situations on our roads where I feel I can do a better job than FSD, or I know that I need to communicate with other drivers about my intentions where the car cannot. These situations are infrequent, but they do occur. There are also instances where the car has chosen a route that I consider suboptimal, and I will take over to change course and let the car’s navigation reroute.
Then there’s one other situation where I’m in a bit more of a hurry than FSD is going to allow. I will take over, understanding that FSD would likely be a) more legal, and b) safer than I am being in these situations. But at the end of the day, that’s my choice, and with FSD being a supervised system it’s completely my right to be in control when I, the driver, deems it necessary or appropriate.
In closing, I want to mention one more useful safety feature of FSD that I have come to appreciate, and why I’ll continue to use FSD at night whenever possible. And that’s deer avoidance. FSD is really good at spotting deer along the side of the road and will either slow to a stop or avoid deer as necessary. It’s similar to the way it detects and deals with pedestrians. I identifies and predicts possible actions, then takes whatever steps are necessary to avoid interaction with deer. With rural Pennsylvania being deer country, this is a great feature of FSD, and one that USAA should consider when giving me my auto insurance discounts.
Also in the news regarding FSD, it appears after February 14, 2026 you won’t be able to buy FSD any longer [Tesla Announces FSD Purchase Option Will Go Away Next Month — Here’s Why]. I’m OK with that since I’m leasing my car and it wouldn’t make sense to purchase FSD anyway. It looks like Tesla has taken a page out of Microsoft and Adobe’s playbooks. Subscriptions are a nifty way of creating an ongoing revenue stream. ‘Tis the way of the world!
And this: Driver Says Tesla FSD Saved His Life. Just wow! Did I mention we should all be getting insurance discounts for ‘driving’ with FSD. It’s seriously getting that good!