The Future? Tesla's Self-Driving (Supervised) Tech Put To the Test!

Having experienced the Tesla Model Y's Full Self Driving (FSD) (Supervised) mode on a prescribed route and a route of my own choosing, it's easy to conclude that this is impressive technology despite the hefty $10,100 upfront cost or $149 per month ongoing subscription. Watch the full review: https://youtu.be/qIT8ZuFWLM4 0:00 – Introduction to Tesla Full Self-Driving (Supervised) 0:10 – Testing Initial Junction Maneuvers 0:37 – Navigating Around Parked Obstacles 0:46 – Approach and Aggression at Give Way Signs 0:58 – Reinforcing the Importance of Driver Supervision 1:16 – Traffic Light Monitoring and Intersection Progress 1:36 – Observations on Turning Lines and Cross-Hatchings 1:58 – Pedestrian Interaction and Cautiousness 2:29 – Head Checks and System Decision Making 2:42 – Real-World Intuition vs. Prescribed Route Performance 3:11 – Roundabout Navigation and Traffic Awareness 3:48 – Challenges with Missed Turns and Road Markings Less impressive is the way that Tesla has historically gone about marketing the Tesla's 'self-driving' claims, using terms like 'Autopilot' to infer the car is in charge, with the driver taking a figurative back seat. In practice, and to the letter of the law, of course, the driver must always maintain full control of the vehicle, just as with any vehicle. So forget what you've heard about 'self-driving' or 'autonomous' when it comes to driving the Model Y with this option. The simple truth is you must remain an active participant in the drive at all times, continuing your observations and being prepared to take the wheel at any time. FSD (Supervised) can be accessed by pressing the right-hand button on the steering wheel or the touchscreen. A warning is then displayed on screen that the driver should keep their hands on the wheel, although the car will maintain its progress without hands on the wheel. The Tesla will not give you a warning if you leave your hands off in FSD mode, unlike other vehicles, which will flash lights and sound an alarm if they sense an extended period without hands on the wheel. Best practice should be to maintain hands on the wheel and feet over the pedals to take action if required. Plug a destination into the navigation, and the Tesla Model Y will drive itself there. Experiencing a first hook turn in the Melbourne CBD was quite incredible, although the Tesla follows the road rules, taking more time than following traffic might like to make its progress. The Model Y also follows the rules when it comes to overtaking and moving lanes. Once it perceives an overtake can be made, or it needs to move around a stationary vehicle, it indicates before the change. This ability makes it one of the most polite drivers on the road too; it will never hog an overtaking lane, moving over to the left once an overtake is completed. Approach a set of traffic lights, and the Tesla Model Y will pick its own lane, slowing to a stop on red and accelerating on green. Approach a roundabout and the Tesla will have made a decision that it is safe to progress before the driver has completed their head checks. It's discombobulating but convincing in equal measures. Less convincing is the Tesla Model Y's performance in FSD mode on roads that are unmarked, or feature line markings it may not be familiar with. On our test route, it failed to make a left turn across a green bike lane and then failed to make a right turn on a country road with no line markings. It also feels like it is programmed to prioritise its own passage, so it doesn't let other cars out of intersections, meaning you need to take over if you're feeling courteous. You'll also need to take over if the Tesla system alerts you. If you fail to take over, then the system switches off and will slow the vehicle to a stop. Tesla operates a yellow/red card system, so if it detects too many instances of the driver failing to take control, the system is deactivated from the vehicle entirely. One area for improvement is the driver attention system. Once FSD (Supervised) is employed, there doesn't seem to be significant intervention from driver monitoring to ensure the driver's eyes remain on the road ahead. I'd like to see that enhanced to ensure the driver does remain in full control of the vehicle, per current road rules. Having driven cars with very punitive systems and monitoring systems, the Tesla feels positively lenient. Read more: https://www.racv.com.au/royalauto/car-reviews/tesla/2026-tesla-model-y-review.html Research and compare cars with RACV Car Match 🔎 https://www.racv.com.au/car-match Prepare for the best with an RACV Car Loan WeMoney's 2025 Electric Car Loan of the Year 🔎 https://www.racv.com.au/carloans R.A.C.V. Finance Limited ABN 82 004 292 291 Australian Credit Licence No. 391488. RACV Finance is subject to RACV lending criteria. Conditions, fees and charges apply. For more information: 🔎 https://www.racv.com.au 📱 Call us on 13 72 28 for general enquiries