Tesla Texting While Driving: Musk Claims New Software Feature

Elon Musk Claims Tesla's FSD Allows Texting While Driving

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, announced via a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday that drivers utilizing the latest iteration of his company’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software may now text while operating their vehicles.

Controversial Update and Legal Implications

This declaration arrives despite the fact that texting while driving remains illegal in the vast majority of U.S. states. Musk’s statement was a response to a user who observed that the newest FSD update did not display a warning when a phone was in use during driving.

According to Musk, the update permits this functionality “depending on context of surrounding traffic.” He provided no further elaboration on the specifics of this contextual allowance.

Lack of Official Comment

Tesla currently operates without a dedicated public relations team, hindering the ability to obtain additional details. A request for comment sent via email to Musk remained unanswered as of this writing.

Current Laws Regarding Mobile Phone Use

The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics indicates that nearly every state prohibits texting while behind the wheel. Furthermore, approximately half of all states have enacted laws banning any handheld phone use while driving.

FSD is Not Full Autonomy

Despite ongoing promotion, Full Self-Driving remains a driver-assistance system, not a fully autonomous solution. Initially, drivers were required to maintain contact with the steering wheel even when FSD was activated.

This requirement was subsequently removed, allowing for hands-off driving provided the in-cabin camera confirmed the driver’s attention was focused on the road.

Driver Monitoring and System Limitations

The FSD system employs both an in-cabin camera and steering wheel sensors to assess driver attentiveness. However, as a driver-assistance feature, and not true autonomy, drivers must be prepared to regain control of the vehicle if the system encounters challenging or unforeseen circumstances.

The transition of control back to the driver is frequently a contributing factor in accidents involving driver-assistance technologies.

Past Concerns Regarding Complacency

Elon Musk has previously acknowledged that Autopilot, the standard driver-assistance system included with all Teslas, could potentially lead to driver complacency and overconfidence.

Investigations by regulators have linked Autopilot to over a dozen fatal crashes.

Ongoing NHTSA Investigation

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is currently investigating the FSD software following reports of more than 50 instances of the system running red lights or improperly changing lanes.

The NHTSA is also examining FSD for crashes occurring in conditions with limited visibility. A response to a request for comment from the NHTSA was not immediately received.

Legal Battles with California DMV

Tesla is nearing the conclusion of a protracted legal dispute with the California Department of Motor Vehicles concerning the marketing of FSD and its earlier version, Autopilot.

During hearings held in July, the DMV accused Tesla of years of misleading customers regarding the self-driving capabilities of its vehicles. The state agency has requested a judge to suspend the company’s sales and manufacturing operations for a minimum of 30 days.

A ruling in this case is anticipated before the year's end.

Note: Tesla Autopilot necessitates hands-on engagement. FSD initially required hands-on operation, with that stipulation later being lifted.