Blinded by the Light, Saved by FSD!

[Macgreiner]

. . . and then we embraced in a forbidden moment.
Nice work!

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[dalton108]

I’m well aware of my challenges with night vision and have always taken precautions. For years, that meant staying home after dark or relying on my wife’s sharp eyes when we did go out. But with FSD in the Cybertruck maturing, everything has changed.

For the first time in years, we’re going to evening meetings, dinners, and even parties. It feels like someone has a hand on my shoulder, guiding and watching over me—far better than I ever could. My confidence in this technology is growing to the point that my wife, who used to be my extra set of eyes, now sits in the passenger seat, relaxed, texting on her phone instead of scanning the road.

I’m under strict orders to use FSD at night. And while, on one hand, it’s a humbling adjustment, on the other, it’s incredibly liberating.

But during the day? I drive just like you—because this is the most responsive, nimble truck I’ve ever had the pleasure of driving. Gotta love it.


But during the day, I drive as like you, this is the most responsive and nimble truck I have ever had the pleasure to drive. Gotta love it.

This is why I will not buy any vehicle that doesn’t have FSD on a go forward basis unless it’s something incredibly special that I’m just trying to collect!

Fortunately, I’ve been able to convince my father and mother-in-law who are getting up there in age that it would behoove them to be in a Tesla and they’ve both listened.

As EM said, “otherwise, you might as well be buying a horse buggy.”

He was correct. His actions now have people acting against their own best interest and that’s a shame.

 

[GFleck]

Not as dramatic a story, but FSD totally saved a pedestrian in Chicago when I was making a left hand turn and did not see him stepping off the curb in front of me.

I've also had several instances of driving in the country on narrow or poorly marked roads in the dark, or blinded by oncoming headlights where I relied on the screen image to keep me on the road and/or out of the wrong lane.

Last thought, it never ceases to amaze me how people just do not realize how invisible they are walking on a road or roadside at night unless they are wearing legit reflective clothing!

 

[jameskk]

This happened to me yesterday... I took my eyes off the road for 1-2 seconds and this trunk started moving into my lane. The CT FSD immediately braked and swerved at the same time. Not knowing what was going on, I grabbed the wheel and took over... I should have just let FSD handle it because it had this under control. Lives will definitely be saved with this tech.

 

[Jspeterkin]

Great story. You are a great writer. I too love FSD. I hope we could soon get an update to recognize potholes.

 

[CyberGus]

Isn't it weird now to go back and drive a vehicle with zero sense of self-preservation? Sheez

It's like they don't even care

 

[Crissa]

This happened to me yesterday... I took my eyes off the road for 1-2 seconds and this trunk started moving into my lane. The CT FSD immediately braked and swerved at the same time. Not knowing what was going on, I grabbed the wheel and took over... I should have just let FSD handle it because it had this under control. Lives will definitely be saved with this tech.

As a motorcyclist, we're taught to always check the spacing of vehicles ahead, as that'll predict their escape movements more than their signals!

-Crissa

 

[Sandman1962]

Great outcome and great story. A lot of lessons here. I contend, if the CT (or newer Tesla) can render the animated scene on your screen, it knows that cars, bicycles, motorcycles, pedestrians, animals, etc are there and is totally more aware than I am. Is FSD perfect ? Not yet but still an incredible step forward for safety. It still shocks me that a majority of people have no clue what it can do.
Thank you for sharing and reaffirming how safety is advancing right before our eyes!

 

[JES1964]

My hands are still shaking.

Early last night, my wife and I left a business meeting, finding ourselves on a dark, unmarked rural road. The night was absolute—pitch black, the kind of darkness that swallows everything. As I prepared to turn left onto the road, I engaged Blitzen’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) and watched as a vehicle approached from the left, its high beams blinding me.

I squinted, struggling against the glare, trusting Blitzen to navigate. The Cyber Sleigh pulled out smoothly, turning toward the oncoming car—but instead of accelerating, it hesitated, easing onto the brakes.

I didn’t understand why.

The other vehicle roared past, its bright beams fading. As Blitzen inched forward, it subtly shifted left. That’s when I saw him.

A pedestrian.

Dressed entirely in black, walking directly in our lane. Right where we should have been.

“Smooth move,” my wife commented. “I was about to warn you, but you saw him just fine.”

I felt my breath catch.

“I didn’t see him,” I said.

In the soft glow of the cabin lights, we stared at each other. She hadn’t realized we were in FSD.

I swallowed hard. “I would have run him over.”

Silence filled the truck. The road hummed beneath us, undisturbed, as Blitzen carried on, unfazed by the moment it had just averted.

Without a word, my wife reached out, her fingers gliding over the dashboard in quiet gratitude.

FSD saved a life last night.

@rtfitch great recounting and agree, FSD is the real deal! Safe sledding.

 

[IraS]

I'm not saying FSD is ready for prime time, but the only thing that gets publicized are the bad events (which might not even be the fault of FSD). It would be interesting if NHTSA also maintained a log of "saves" reports like this one along with the log of FSD crashes they investigate. I'm guessing that the "save" list would be much longer than the crash list.

Regardless, I believe that FSD (such as it is) is currently safer than a human driver on limited access highways. Local streets & highways? - still a work in progress.

 

[BeFamousVideo]

My hands are still shaking.

Early last night, my wife and I left a business meeting, finding ourselves on a dark, unmarked rural road. The night was absolute—pitch black, the kind of darkness that swallows everything. As I prepared to turn left onto the road, I engaged Blitzen’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) and watched as a vehicle approached from the left, its high beams blinding me.

I squinted, struggling against the glare, trusting Blitzen to navigate. The Cyber Sleigh pulled out smoothly, turning toward the oncoming car—but instead of accelerating, it hesitated, easing onto the brakes.

I didn’t understand why.

The other vehicle roared past, its bright beams fading. As Blitzen inched forward, it subtly shifted left. That’s when I saw him.

A pedestrian.

Dressed entirely in black, walking directly in our lane. Right where we should have been.

“Smooth move,” my wife commented. “I was about to warn you, but you saw him just fine.”

I felt my breath catch.

“I didn’t see him,” I said.

In the soft glow of the cabin lights, we stared at each other. She hadn’t realized we were in FSD.

I swallowed hard. “I would have run him over.”

Silence filled the truck. The road hummed beneath us, undisturbed, as Blitzen carried on, unfazed by the moment it had just averted.

Without a word, my wife reached out, her fingers gliding over the dashboard in quiet gratitude.

FSD saved a life last night.

Great story. A reminder to keep those camera lens clean for FSD.

 

[Sleipnir 1]

I'm not saying FSD is ready for prime time, but the only thing that gets publicized are the bad events (which might not even be the fault of FSD). It would be interesting if NHTSA also maintained a log of "saves" reports like this one along with the log of FSD crashes they investigate. I'm guessing that the "save" list would be much longer than the crash list.

Regardless, I believe that FSD (such as it is) is currently safer than a human driver on limited access highways. Local streets & highways? - still a work in progress.

Great story. A reminder to keep those camera lens clean for FSD.

 

[Sleipnir 1]

A large deer is still alive and well in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia. Last night, while driving about 60 on FSD on a two lane highway, my CT suddenly braked and the deer I had not seen bounded across the road right in front of me. I'm confident that without FSD I would have had a dead deer and a messed up CT.

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