Tesla CEO Elon Musk says pothole avoidance is “coming soon” to vehicles equipped with the company’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, a long-promised feature that could improve ride comfort and potentially reduce repair costs for owners.
Musk announced the planned update on social media platform X, formerly Twitter. Tesla first promised pothole avoidance in April 2019, but the feature has yet to arrive more than seven years later.
Tesla FSD Could Gain Pothole Avoidance
Tesla’s FSD system can already avoid obvious variations in the road surface, including debris and other obstacles. However, creating a three-dimensional image capable of identifying a pothole presents a more difficult challenge.
FSD users have requested pothole avoidance for years, particularly because driving through potholes can disrupt an otherwise smooth driving experience.
A human driver can spot and steer around potholes, but when FSD is controlling the vehicle, occupants, including the driver, may not be as focused on the road. That can make a sudden drop in ride quality especially jarring.
Potential Comfort and Repair Cost Benefits
If Tesla succeeds in enabling FSD-equipped vehicles to avoid potholes, the update could provide benefits beyond passenger comfort.
Avoiding potholes could potentially help owners reduce alignment and repair costs involving tires, wheels and suspension components.
The feature could also benefit riders using Tesla’s upcoming robotaxi, the Cybercab, which is scheduled for launch on September 3. However, it remains unclear whether Musk’s statement that pothole avoidance is coming soon is intended to suggest the feature will appear alongside this week’s launch.
A Long-Awaited Upgrade for Tesla FSD
Tesla fans are likely to welcome pothole avoidance whenever it arrives, while critics may argue that improving the overall safety of FSD should remain a higher priority.
Pothole avoidance could nevertheless represent a step forward for the system. Successfully identifying and navigating around potholes could contribute to a more capable digital “eye” for FSD and potentially improve safety.
Tesla has previously delivered over-the-air updates that appeared to compromise safety, but pothole avoidance would seemingly offer benefits without such trade-offs. Musk may provide additional details Thursday during the Cybercab launch, although his previous use of the word “soon” for promised features and products leaves the timing uncertain.
