Tesla now detects Autopilot cheating devices

Tesla is now starting to figure out Autopilot cheat devices that don’t enable you to hold the steering wheel, and it’s working on that if you use it.

To use Autopilot and the Full Self-Driving (FSD) beta, Tesla requires drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel.

However, Tesla is not equipped to detect hands on the steering wheel. It can only detect torque applied to it, so the automaker asks drivers to regularly apply some torque to the wheel in order to continue using Autopilot.

This has led some to use “defeat devices”. Tricking Autopilot’s driver monitoring system could be as simple as jamming a water bottle into the steering wheel to applying some pressure to some custom-made equipment.

NHTSA had to intervene and ban the devices Which was clearly marketed for that purpose.

one of those autopilot defeat devices Tried to come back as phone mountBut it was closed again.

Now Tesla is trying to solve this problem directly through software.

Teslascope, which digs into Tesla software updates, found something interesting in the latest FSD beta update. Tesla can now detect Autopilot defeat devices, and takes drivers out of Autopilot when it detects:

This is an interesting new approach to the problem Tesla’s FSD beta is getting a wide release for anyone who buys the FSD package in North America,

While the technology is still in beta and undoubtedly dangerous if drivers aren’t paying attention, Tesla is trying to find ways to make sure drivers are actually keeping their hands on the wheel and ready to take control at all times.

Tesla is also increasingly using its cabin-facing camera to draw the driver’s attention, and it has been known to send warnings to drivers when their eyes are not on the road.