In a recent post on X, Elon Musk stated that people using Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system will soon be able to text and drive. However, experts expressed concerns about the legality and safety of such a claim. Here's what you need to know.
During a previous conversation at a shareholder meeting, Musk asserted that Tesla would soon "allow you to text and drive," per Electrek. Then, in early December, someone on X asked Musk (@elonmusk) to confirm that texting and driving will be allowed in Tesla's supervised self-driving mode. He responded: "Depending on the context of surrounding traffic, yes."
However, Electrek reporters raised concerns about the legality and safety of such a change. According to the outlet, self-driving Teslas use in-cabin cameras to track eye movements. Previously, if the vehicle suspected the driver had been looking away from the road for too long, it warned them to pay attention, regardless of the situation.
Most jurisdictions throughout the U.S. have outlawed texting and driving. Electrek emphasized that a relaxation of in-car guidance doesn't mean drivers are legally allowed to text while in self-driving mode.
The outlet also pointed out that current laws indicate that Tesla can't just "allow" texting and driving, given its current classification as a driver-supervised vehicle.
Electrek summed it up plainly, writing that if you're texting in a self-driving Tesla and "you crash or get pulled over, it is entirely on you."
Despite the automaker's popularity, Tesla is no stranger to controversy, ranging from battery concerns to issues with door handles and its Robotaxis. And now, this rollback of safety features could cause problems for drivers everywhere.
According to TechCrunch, drivers must be able to take the wheel when the car can't manage a situation while in self-driving mode, which is already a source of crashes. But if a driver is using their phone when a situation like this arises, the question is: Does texting make reaction times even worse?
So, although electric cars like Teslas have many benefits — like helping you save money on gas and maintenance and creating less air pollution — texting and driving isn't one of them.
In Fortune's (@fortunemag) Instagram post about the change, commenters were disturbed by the suggestion that it's okay for people to text while using self-driving technology.
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Do you trust self-driving cars as much as you trust human drivers? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
No way 👎 One person wrote, "Not sure who runs the legal team [at Tesla], but those folks deserve some vacation."
Another user said, "Adding texting on top of high speed is exactly how reaction time and judgement collapse, no matter how smart the car is."
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