{"id":1036,"date":"2025-12-06T08:53:34","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T08:53:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=1036"},"modified":"2025-12-06T08:53:34","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T08:53:34","slug":"elon-musk-says-tesla-owners-will-soon-be-able-to-text-while-driving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=1036","title":{"rendered":"Elon Musk says Tesla owners will soon be able to text while driving"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Elon Musk has given the thumbs-up to some Tesla drivers texting behind the wheel.<\/p>\n

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The EV maker recently introduced a 30-day free trial of its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) features on its North American cars, which has traffic-aware cruise control, autosteer, and autopark. To the Tesla CEO, the automated features in place are enough to condone texting while driving. According to safety experts, Musk\u2019s suggestion is actually just plain illegal.<\/p>\n

In response to an X user\u2019s question on Thursday about being able to text and drive while a Tesla is operating FSD v14.2.1, its latest full self-driving capabilities, Musk responded: \u201cDepending on context of surrounding traffic, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Musk\u2019s response mirrors his comments at Tesla\u2019s annual shareholder meeting last month, where he said the company would soon feel comfortable with a multitasking driver.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re actually getting to the point where we almost feel comfortable allowing people to text and drive, which is kind of the killer [application] because that\u2019s really what people want to do,\u201d Musk said. \u201cActually right now, the car is a little strict about keeping eyes on the road, but I\u2019m confident that in the next month or two\u2014we\u2019re going to look closely at the safety statistics\u2014but we will allow you to text and drive essentially.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a $1 trillion pay package on the line, Musk has worked to jump-start Tesla after continued lagging sales. His lofty automation goals tied to the compensation plan include delivering 20 million vehicles and having 10 million active Full Self-Driving (FSD) subscriptions, as well as 1 million robotaxis commercially operational.<\/p>\n

FSD road bumps\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Tesla\u2019s FSD rollout, much like its other automated technologies, has hit snags. In October, the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2013run National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into the EV maker, alleging its FSD software violated traffic laws and led to six crashes, four of which resulted in injuries. It cited data from 18 complaints by Tesla users claiming the FSD-equipped cars ran red lights or swerved into other lanes, including into oncoming traffic.<\/p>\n

There is another complication for Musk\u2019s vision of a Tesla owner typing away behind the wheel: Texting and driving is illegal in nearly the entire country, barring Montana, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. According to the NHTSA, distracted driving resulted in 3,275 deaths in 2023.<\/p>\n

And Tesla has warned owners against texting while driving, even with some automated features in place: Tesla\u2019s Model Y owner\u2019s manual asks drivers not to use their phones while driving with Autopilot software enabled. (Autopilot refers to Tesla\u2019s basic driver assistance features requiring hands on the steering wheel, while FSD is a paid subscription package with enhanced automated features and does not require a driver to have hands on the steering wheel.)<\/p>\n

\u201cDo not use handheld devices while using Autopilot features,\u201d the manual said. \u201cIf the cabin camera detects a handheld device while Autopilot is engaged, the touchscreen displays a message reminding you to pay attention.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tesla did not respond to Fortune<\/em>\u2019s request for comment.<\/p>\n

What experts are saying<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Alexandra Mueller, senior research scientist at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, told Fortune <\/em>condoning texting while behind the wheel completely undermines the purpose of Tesla\u2019s current automated features, which are a level 2 on the five-point automation scale, meaning the models require the driver to still be fully in control of the vehicle.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving partial automation support doesn\u2019t mean that you suddenly can kick back and text and not worry about driving,\u201d Mueller said, \u201cbecause that\u2019s just not how these systems are designed to be used.\u201d <\/p>\n

She said automated systems like Tesla\u2019s are not designed to replace the driver and work because they are \u201chuman-in-the-loop\u201d and were designed to support the driver\u2019s discretion behind the wheel. Beeps and notifications from the vehicle if a driver changes lanes without signaling can help shape good behaviors, Mueller noted. Encouraging multitasking behind the wheel turns these features into convenience factors, rather than the safety precautions they were intended to be.<\/p>\n

\u201cSuddenly all your safety assessments on the technology don\u2019t apply anymore, because you\u2019ve changed the very nature of how the technology is supporting human-in-the-loop behavior,\u201d Mueller concluded.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

#Elon #Musk #Tesla #owners #text #driving<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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