Everything You Need To Know About Tesla's New 'Safety Score'

Tesla Inc TSLA has been testing its FSD Beta software for almost a year now, with more than 2,000 private employees and public beta testers driving in the U.S. But many customers who added the FSD option to their Teslas — for as much as $10,000 — have been begging to use the software themselves.

To expand the software testing to more customers, Tesla has employed a safety score with safe drivers earning points and a chance to use FSD Beta on their own vehicles.

Customers who bought or subscribed to FSD can opt-in to be monitored for seven days. Tesla details the metrics of the safety score on its website. After opting in, customers can see their safety score update live via their Tesla app on iPhone or Android. 

Tesla scores five safety factors:

1. Forward collision warnings per 1,000 miles
2. Hard braking
3. Aggressive turning
4. Unsafe following
5. Forced autopilot disengagement (getting kicked out of Autopilot)

If drivers can score highly in all five of these categories, it seems they will be granted access to the FSD Beta, which will let their cars make right and left turns, attempt roundabouts, and generally attempt to drive them from point A to B with no input from the human in the driver's seat. At the same time, Tesla is clear to emphasize the car is not autonomous in this mode, and that's why it's only opening the program up to compliant drivers. 

One of the drawbacks drivers are finding is they can be punished for good, but abrupt maneuvers. A Twitter user asked: "To brake for a bicyclist or not to brake for a bicyclist, that is the question," when wondering about his safety score. Of course, braking is the right answer, but if he brakes hard to avoid the cyclist, that would lower his safety score. 

Once Tesla feels FSD is safe enough for the general public, none of this will be necessary. But until that time, customers need to take an extra step in order to use this beta software. 

Photo courtesy of Tesla