Elon Musk recently acknowledged that other automakers are not interested in licensing Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” technology, despite his previous claims of ongoing discussions and potential deals. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is currently investigating Tesla’s “Self-Driving” feature for dangerous actions like running red lights, while some owners have reported their Tesla EVs fail to detect trains at railroad crossings.
Electrek reports that Tesla CEO Elon Musk has finally conceded that other automakers are not seeking to license the company’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ (FSD) technology, contrary to his earlier statements suggesting that Tesla was in talks with major car manufacturers. This admission comes after years of Musk touting the superiority of Tesla’s autonomous driving capabilities and the likelihood of other companies adopting the technology to remain competitive.
In a recent post on X, Musk revealed that discussions with legacy automakers have hit a roadblock, citing their demands for “unworkable requirements” as the reason for the impasse. He expressed his frustration, writing, “I’ve tried to warn them and even offered to license Tesla FSD, but they don’t want it! Crazy … When legacy auto does occasionally reach out, they tepidly discuss implementing FSD for a tiny program in 5 years with unworkable requirements for Tesla, so pointless.”
The revelation sheds light on the stark differences between Tesla’s approach to autonomous driving technology and that of traditional automakers. While Tesla has opted for an “aggressive deployment” strategy, releasing “beta” software to customers for validation, legacy automakers typically follow a more rigorous “V-model” of validation, prioritizing safety and accepting liability for their systems.
This contrast in approaches was highlighted earlier this year when Ford CEO Jim Farley publicly dismissed the idea of using Tesla’s FSD, stating that “Waymo is better.” Farley’s comments likely referred to the “major automaker” talks Musk had previously mentioned.
The reluctance of other automakers to embrace Tesla’s FSD technology may stem from the numerous federal investigations and lawsuits the company has faced due to its autonomous driving systems. Breitbart News reported in September that Tesla owners running FSD have found that the system cannot detect trains at train crossings:
Italo Frigoli, a Tesla owner from North Texas, narrowly avoided a potentially catastrophic collision when his Tesla, operating in FSD mode, failed to recognize an approaching train at a railroad crossing. “It felt like it was going to run through the arms,” Frigoli recounted. “So obviously I just slammed on the brakes.” Video evidence from the car’s cameras appears to corroborate his account, and a subsequent test at the same crossing yielded similar results, with the Tesla’s software failing to detect the oncoming train.
Frigoli’s experience is not an isolated incident. At least six Tesla drivers who use FSD have reported problems with the technology at rail crossings, with four providing video evidence. Additionally, numerous online posts on Tesla forums and social media platforms describe similar mishaps, with some dating back to June 2023.
Breitbart News reported in October that the NHTSA has launched an investigation of Tesla’s FSD over dangerous driving:
According to the NHTSA filing, the reported incidents include cases where Tesla vehicles drove through red lights and traveled in the wrong direction on roads. Several of these incidents resulted in crashes and injuries, although no fatalities have been reported within the scope of the current investigation. The agency specifically cited six reports where a Tesla vehicle with FSD engaged “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection against the red light and was subsequently involved in a crash” with other vehicles. It was noted that multiple incidents occurred at the same intersection in Maryland, prompting Tesla to take action to address the issue at that specific location.
Read more at Electrek here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
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