Tesla's Adaptive Cruise and New Facial‑Recognition Feature Raise Safety Concerns

A Tesla owner in Italy reported that his Model RWD premium applied a strong brake while overtaking on a two‑lane mountain road. The driver, accustomed to a Volkswagen with advanced ADAS, described the behavior as a possible mis‑identification of the motorbike by the vehicle’s adaptive cruise and auto‑steer system, which may react conservatively on narrow roads. Recommendations include testing on straight sections, checking camera cleanliness, and recalibrating sensors if the issue persists.

Separately, analysis of a recent Tesla app update revealed strings that suggest an upcoming interior‑camera facial‑recognition function to restrict activation of Full Self‑Driving (FSD). The proposed system would compare the driver’s face to authorized profiles and disable FSD if the match fails. Technical commentary notes that Tesla’s cabin camera is a standard RGB sensor, less secure than Apple’s infrared Face ID, and could be fooled with a simple cover. The feature raises privacy questions under the EU GDPR, where facial data are considered sensitive, and speculation surrounds motives such as preventing unauthorized use of FSD subscriptions or enabling age verification.