At Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting held on November 6, CEO Elon Musk made a significant announcement regarding the brand’s full self-driving (FSD) features. According to Electrek, his comments sparked a wave of skepticism and concern among attendees.
What’s Going On?
During the meeting, which also included discussions around Musk’s hefty compensation package potentially reaching up to $1 trillion, shareholders received updates on several ongoing initiatives, including the much-anticipated Cybercab.
But the most eye-catching claim from Musk was about the possibility of being able to “text and drive” in Tesla vehicles. This is a feature he first alluded to back in January, generating significant conversations in the auto community.
He stated, “You know, the car’s a little, uh, strict about keeping your eyes on the road.” He further reassured those present, “In the next month or two, we’re gonna take a closer look at safety statistics, but we will allow you to, um, text and drive essentially,” though he didn’t expand on this idea.
Accompanying Musk’s discussion was a video showcasing Tesla’s interior, highlighting a woman seemingly composing a text while riding in a self-driving car.
Why Does This Matter?
If there’s a Tesla feature stirring up controversy, it’s certainly this one.
Texting while driving is against the law in nearly every state across the U.S. as well as many countries worldwide. The only exception is Montana, and Musk didn’t offer any insights on how Tesla would navigate the legal complexities associated with this new feature.
Moreover, Musk has a history of underestimating timelines on Tesla’s projects, especially in the area of autonomous driving. He initially promised that Tesla cars would have the capability to drive from Los Angeles to New York by the year 2017.
In 2019, Musk confidently claimed that we would see a million Tesla robotaxis operating by 2020. However, while Waymo driverless cars hit the market in 2020, Tesla found it challenging to launch just a few supervised robotaxis in Austin recently.
As both Electrek and Engadget noted, the Society of Automotive Engineers has outlined levels of autonomous driving capabilities, with Tesla reportedly at level 2. Musk’s promise pushes the expectation to at least level 4. Meanwhile, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has started an investigation into Tesla’s FSD following legislators’ calls for oversight.
Given Musk’s timeline for the texting feature, it’s no surprise that discussions on the FSD subreddit were mixed. Many users expressed doubt over his timeline credibility.
One user quipped, “So a couple years.” Another suggested, “A good rule of thumb is to multiply his timelines by 10.”
What’s Next?
The string of unmet promises from Tesla could potentially steer people away from electric vehicles in the long run.
However, on the brighter side, those interested in transitioning to EVs now have more options than ever as conventional automakers gear up to meet the demand for electric vehicles.
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Originally published on The Cool Down as “Elon Musk claims Tesla owners can soon ‘text and drive’ with upcoming features: ‘[Within] a month or two'”
