[Tesla’s Solo Run... Hyundai Strikes Back] Dream Car or Menace? A Review of Tesla FSD

Test-Driving 300km of Autonomous Driving Across Seoul and the Metropolitan Area
Smoother Than a Human: Effortless Lane Changes and Overtaking

Repeated Aggressive Lane Cutting Reveals Incompleteness
Fails to Recognize Road Markings, Leading to Traffic Law Violations
Hair-Raising Moments Like Backing Out of Parking Lots

"Huh, why is the car backing out of the parking lot?"

On June 30 in an outdoor parking lot in downtown Seoul, a Tesla Model X repeatedly went back and forth dozens of times, unable to navigate the narrow space. After nearly 10 minutes, the Model X appeared to make a decision and exited the lot by backing through the parking barrier. This vehicle had the globally-hyped 'Full Self-Driving (FSD) supervised' feature activated.

Tesla is surging in the Korean auto market. In June, the Tesla Model Y topped domestic sales rankings for the first time, beating out domestic models—a first for an electric vehicle. Explosive demand is being driven by anticipation for FSD, which is expected to become more prevalent in Korea. The FSD, which was suddenly released in Korea at the end of last year, is currently only available in select vehicles.

To evaluate how well the FSD adapts to Korean city streets and highways, we tested the system for 6 hours and 30 minutes, covering nearly 300 kilometers throughout Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area in a Tesla Model X. While FSD left a strong impression in multiple aspects, there were also dangerous situations, such as repeated traffic law violations and aggressive lane changes.

On June 30, a Tesla Model X vehicle with the Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature enabled crossed the center line to make a left turn on a road where left turns are not allowed. Photo by Seungjin Lee

Turning, Rotating, Stopping... Smoother Than a Human Driver

The most striking moment occurred right after departure. The starting point was an underground parking lot with entrances on both basement level 4 and ground level 1, and the vehicle was parked on basement level 3. After the destination was entered, the car independently recognized its surroundings and started moving slowly, effortlessly finding its way to the basement level 4 exit. It waited naturally until the barrier opened, then merged onto the road, performing unprotected left turns and lane changes smoothly.

Acceleration and deceleration were also impressive. There was none of the jerky, abrupt movements common among first-time electric vehicle drivers. The vehicle increased and decreased speed smoothly while keeping a safe distance from the car ahead, and stopped stably. It felt even more natural than a human driver.

The FSD also demonstrated strong performance at roundabouts. While many Korean drivers are confused about right-of-way or turn signal rules, the FSD accurately judged incoming vehicles, yielded as necessary, and entered safely. At right turns with pedestrian crossings, the car stopped at a red light, checked for pedestrians and surrounding conditions, then completed the turn.

Satisfaction was high on highways as well. After overtaking in the fast lane, the vehicle returned to the driving lane, and when encountering a slow-moving car ahead, it changed lanes to pass at the appropriate time. Even entering a narrow toll gate—initially a concern—was handled smoothly. The system recognized speed limit signs, slowed down in advance, and maintained its lane while passing through flexibly.

A Tesla Model X with the Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature enabled is changing lanes on a solid line section. Photo by Lee Seungjin

Panic in a Crisis... Tesla Gets Stuck in a Paid Parking Lot

However, the system's overall completeness still falls short of the name 'Full Self-Driving.' The most baffling incident occurred in a narrow alley downtown. While trying to yield space to an oncoming car, the vehicle suddenly entered a nearby paid parking lot on its own.

The real problem began after that. The parking space was too tight to turn around in one go. While a human driver would have moved to another floor or performed a sequence of forward and reverse maneuvers to escape, the FSD simply moved back and forth in the same spot, wasting time.

With less than a minute left of the complimentary 10-minute exit window, the FSD still couldn’t find a solution. Ultimately, the vehicle backed up to the barrier, which recognized it as an exit and opened, allowing a narrow escape. It was a nerve-wracking incident that would never have happened to a human driver.

There were also frequent cases where the system failed in places with weak GPS signals, such as under elevated highways or in underground parking lots. Under an overpass, the vehicle would sometimes take a wrong turn, and deep in underground parking lots, it would descend further instead of finding its way out.

A Tesla Model X vehicle with the Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature activated is entering a narrow parking lot by itself, and upon being unable to turn the car, it is reversing to exit the parking lot. Photo by Lee Seung-jin

From Sneaky Lane Cutting to Wrong-Way Driving... 'Top Candidate for Enforcement'

Greater concern arose from the repeated 'traffic law violations' observed throughout the test drive. This was the main reason it was impossible to relax at the wheel, even for a moment.

The most frequent issue was aggressive lane cutting. While exiting the Inner Ring Road amid a traffic jam, with dozens of cars lined up, a typical driver would have waited at the end of the queue. Instead, the FSD kept creeping along the adjacent lane, seeking gaps and jockeying for position.

When surrounding drivers honked and closed gaps to defend their positions after a long wait, the FSD drove right up to the exit, finally crossing a solid line to change lanes. This section is a well-known enforcement zone for habitual lane cutting, and such behavior would have undoubtedly resulted in a fine if policed in real time. In addition, there were many moments when the vehicle exceeded the speed limit by more than 10 km/h. In some areas, the car tried to exceed the speed limit even when speed cameras were present, forcing the driver to intervene abruptly and brake.

Just before reaching the destination, these tendencies led to unnecessary road congestion and wasted time. Around 5 p.m., as rush hour traffic built up, there was a long queue in the left-turn lane with only about a minute left to the destination. The FSD appeared to interpret this as simple congestion, bypassed the line completely using the adjacent lane, and then made a last-minute attempt at an aggressive lane change.

With its left turn signal on, the vehicle came to a stop straddling two lanes, prompting incessant honking from drivers behind. After failing to merge, the car recalculated its route and began a lengthy detour of several kilometers. The same merging failures occurred repeatedly on the return trip, resulting in more than 20 minutes of wandering just meters from the destination. Ultimately, only by disabling FSD and taking over the wheel was it possible to reach the destination.

A Tesla Model X vehicle with the Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature activated is driving on the road at a speed more than 20 km/h above the regulated limit. Photo by Lee Seungjin

It Sees Signs, but Not the Ground? Limits of Road Surface Recognition

The FSD also showed clear limitations in recognizing road markings. While it could read upright road signs relatively accurately, it struggled with markings painted on the road surface. In alleys with only one-way markings on the pavement, the system ignored them and attempted to enter against the flow. At intersections with multiple left-turn lanes, it sometimes entered the wrong second or third lane after turning. Alarmingly, it even made left turns across double yellow solid lines (the centerline) in areas where unprotected left turns are not permitted.

The Tesla FSD currently available in Korea is a 'supervised' system, requiring the driver’s constant oversight. While the driver can intervene at any time, in practice, it is difficult for a human to predict when or what decision the AI will make. This makes it hard to intervene at the right moment and creates a structural limitation: the vehicle can violate traffic laws instantly, regardless of the driver’s intent.

The FSD feature used that day was certainly innovative. Its natural driving in ordinary situations was impressive. However, in Korea’s uniquely complex urban environments, during congested rush hours, and in narrow alleys, the likelihood of judgment errors and legal violations remained alarmingly high. Until its safety is further optimized for Korean roads, it is clear that FSD should be considered an 'assistive system.'

A Tesla Model X with the Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature enabled fails to recognize the one-way street sign on the road surface and is driving in the wrong direction, leaving the road. Photo by Lee Seungjin

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.