Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Thursday’s XPost that owners can now text and drive using the latest version of the company’s fully autonomous (supervised) driver-assistance software, even though it’s illegal in most states.
Musk responded to another user who noticed that the latest software update, known as FSD, no longer flashes warnings when using a cell phone while driving. Tesla’s CEO wrote that the update will allow it to do so “depending on surrounding traffic conditions.”
Mr. Musk did not provide details, and Tesla does not have a public relations team that could provide further information. Musk did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, nearly all 50 states prohibit texting while driving, and about half of states make it illegal to use a cell phone while driving.
Despite Musk’s constant hype, FSD is still a driver assistance system and does not fully automate Tesla’s vehicles. And drivers who were warned by Tesla to keep their hands on the steering wheel even when FSD is engaged are also to blame.
FSD uses a combination of interior cameras and steering wheel sensors to monitor driver alertness. Additionally, since FSD is just driver assistance software and does not provide full autonomy, drivers must be prepared to take control of the vehicle if they encounter a situation that the system cannot handle. This handover of control is often a key element in crashes involving the use of driver assistance systems.
Musk himself has said in the past that Autopilot, the standard driver assistance system in all Tesla cars, can make drivers feel complacent and overconfident. Regulators found more than a dozen fatal crashes in which Autopilot was engaged.
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is currently investigating FSD software after discovering more than 50 reports of drivers running red lights or entering the wrong lane. NHTSA is also investigating FSDs for reports of low-visibility crashes. NHTSA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Tesla is also nearing the end of a long legal battle with the California Department of Transportation over how it markets FSD and its less capable predecessor, Autopilot. In a series of hearings in July, the DMV accused Tesla of misleading customers for years that its cars could drive themselves. State officials asked a judge to halt the company’s car sales and production for at least 30 days. A decision in this case is expected to be made by the end of this year.
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