Watch Tesla's Full Self-Driving Navigate from SF to LA with (Almost) No Help It shows progress, but also that there's a long way to go.

By Jon Fingas Edited by Jessica Thomas

This story originally appeared on Engadget

Whole Mars Catalog, YouTube via engadget

Tesla's Full Self-Driving might still be in beta, but that isn't stopping early adopters from using it for autonomous trips... well, almost. As Teslarati describes, Tesla enthusiast Whole Mars Catalog has posted a video showing their FSD-equipped Model 3 completing a trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles with virtually no interventions. The lone exception was just after crossing into LA, when the driver took the reins to avoid large debris on the road.

This appears to be the first known, recorded instance of Full Self-Driving completing this trip without input, Whole Mars Catalog said.

It's a notable feat for technology that's still rough around the edges and, despite its name, doesn't let you take your hands off the wheel. At the same time, it's also indicative of how far the technology has to go before it can fulfill Elon Musk's robo-taxi dreams.

To start, Whole Mars Catalog took control near the debris as they didn't fully trust Full Self-Driving to react properly — that's not the kind of confidence needed for a truly hands-off drive. There was also some erratic lane behavior around San Francisco's Market Street that wasn't very reassuring. We'd add that California's warmer climate is ideal for Tesla's camera-based technology. It might face a much tougher challenge in the snow, where LiDAR and other sensors might be necessary to avoid collisions. In other words, it could be a while before you can simply assume FSD is ready to handle a city-to-city journey in your part of the world.

Jon Fingas is an associate editor at Engadget.

Want to be an BIZ Experiences Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for BIZ Experiencess to pursue in 2025.

Making a Change

What It Takes to Go From Dead Broke to 6 Figures in 6 Months

Every change we need to make to prosper is within ourselves.

Science & Technology

OpenAI's Latest Move Is a Game Changer — Here's How Smart Solopreneurs Are Turning It Into Profit

OpenAI's latest AI tool acts like a full-time assistant, helping solopreneurs save time, find leads and grow their business without hiring.

Business Solutions

Boost Team Productivity and Security With Windows 11 Pro, Now $15 for Life

Ideal for BIZ Experiencess and small-business owners who are looking to streamline their PC setup.

Science & Technology

AI Isn't Plug-and-Play — You Need a Strategy. Here's Your Guide to Building One.

Don't just "add AI" — build a strategy. This guide helps founders avoid common pitfalls and create a step-by-step roadmap to harness real value from AI.

Starting a Business

I Built a $20 Million Company by Age 22 While Still in College. Here's How I Did It and What I Learned Along the Way.

Wealth-building in your early twenties isn't about playing it safe; it's about exploiting the one time in life when having nothing to lose gives you everything to gain.