Tesla CEO Elon Musk forecasted that the company’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology will surpass human driving capabilities within three months, amidst ongoing regulatory investigations.
Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk has introduced an ambitious projection regarding the advancement of the company’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology. Speaking during a live session on X on Thursday, Musk claimed that Tesla anticipates its FSD system will surpass human driving capabilities within three months, stating, “We see FSD driving better than an average human driver in terms of the incidence of accidents by the second quarter of this year and getting 10 times safer in due time and further until it will no longer crash.”
The FSD system currently operates under the condition that active driver supervision is maintained. Nevertheless, Musk expressed his confidence in the technology’s evolution, suggesting that future software versions will facilitate fully autonomous driving solutions.
Historically, Musk has faced criticism for setting overly optimistic timelines for his company’s innovations. Notably, in 2019, he projected that operational robotaxis would be functional by 2020. More recently, he mentioned plans for the deployment of self-driving Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in Texas and California for ride-hail services by 2025, contingent on the attainment of necessary regulatory clearances.
The matter of regulatory approval comes into sharper focus as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently initiated a probe into approximately 2.6 million Tesla vehicles. This investigation follows a complaint linked to the use of Tesla’s “Actually Smart Summon” feature, which allows users to command their vehicles to move to nearby locations via a mobile application, after an incident involving a crash.
The NHTSA is also investigating an additional 2.4 million Tesla vehicles after reports emerged of crashes occurring while the FSD system was engaged. The agency has noted that certain incidents involved crashes occurring in areas of “reduced roadway visibility,” citing potential challenges posed by factors such as sun glare, fog, or airborne dust. One of these incidents tragically resulted in the death of a pedestrian.
The developments surrounding Tesla’s FSD technology and regulatory investigations underscore the tension between innovation in autonomous driving and the necessary oversight to ensure public safety. As the industry evolves, stakeholders will be paying close attention to the outcomes of these investigations and the future capabilities of self-driving technology.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-fsd-safety-statistics/ – Corroborates Tesla’s FSD safety statistics, including the reduced crash rates compared to human drivers and the safety features of Tesla’s autonomous systems.
- https://insideevs.com/news/732836/tesla-fsd-europe-china-2025/ – Supports the information about Tesla’s plans to launch FSD in Europe and China in 2025, contingent on regulatory approval.
- https://insideevs.com/news/732836/tesla-fsd-europe-china-2025/ – Provides details on the regulatory approvals needed for the launch of FSD in new markets.
- https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-fsd-safety-statistics/ – Explains the criticism and investigations by NHTSA regarding Tesla’s autonomous driving systems, including incidents involving crashes.
- https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2024/07/tesla-autopilot-fsd-and-robotaxi-safety-versus-human.html – Supports the safety comparisons between Tesla’s Autopilot/FSD and human driving, highlighting the reduced crash rates with autonomous systems.
- https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2024/07/tesla-autopilot-fsd-and-robotaxi-safety-versus-human.html – Provides additional context on the safety performance of Tesla’s autonomous driving systems compared to human drivers.
- https://insideevs.com/news/732836/tesla-fsd-europe-china-2025/ – Mentions Elon Musk’s previous optimistic timelines for Tesla’s innovations, such as the projection for operational robotaxis by 2020.
- https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-fsd-safety-statistics/ – Details the role of regulatory bodies like NHTSA in investigating incidents related to Tesla’s autonomous driving features.
- https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2024/07/tesla-autopilot-fsd-and-robotaxi-safety-versus-human.html – Discusses the challenges posed by factors such as sun glare, fog, or airborne dust in areas of reduced roadway visibility for autonomous driving systems.
- https://insideevs.com/news/732836/tesla-fsd-europe-china-2025/ – Highlights the tension between innovation in autonomous driving and the necessary oversight to ensure public safety.
