‘I’ve tried to warn them’: Elon Musk says Tesla’s rivals don’t want its self-driving tech
In a recent update, Elon Musk expressed his frustration over the lack of interest from rival automakers in licensing Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology. In a post on X, Musk described the situation as “crazy,” highlighting that despite his warnings about the potential risks to their survival without advanced self-driving capabilities, other manufacturers remain hesitant. He noted that when legacy automakers do reach out, their discussions often revolve around insignificant projects with impractical requirements, which he finds pointless. This sentiment underscores Musk’s belief that FSD is critical for the future of the automotive industry, as he emphasized that the level of interest in licensing the technology would likely surge once it becomes evident that companies without it could be left behind.
Tesla’s FSD has been a focal point for the company, aiming to monetize its advancements in autonomous driving. However, the technology has faced considerable scrutiny from regulators, particularly after reports of Teslas running red lights and other alarming incidents. The U.S. auto regulator is currently investigating these incidents, which adds to the mounting challenges Tesla faces as it pushes to expand its robotaxi service. Despite these issues, including a recent court ruling that found Tesla partially liable for a fatal crash involving its Autopilot feature, the company remains committed to its self-driving ambitions. Musk’s plans include expanding the robotaxi service to multiple metropolitan areas by the end of the year, although the timeline for realizing substantial revenue from FSD remains uncertain. As Tesla navigates these hurdles, competitors like Toyota and Lucid are making strides in their own self-driving initiatives, further intensifying the race in the autonomous vehicle market.
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In addition to stepping back from DOGE, Elon Musk has said he plans to spend less money on politics in the future.
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Elon Musk said it’s “crazy” that none of Tesla’s rivals want to pay for its self-driving tech.
Tesla has been talking about licensing its Full Self-Driving tech for years.
FSD has faced scrutiny, with regulators launching a probe after reports of Teslas running red lights.
Elon Musk
can’t understand why Tesla’s rivals don’t want to pay for its self-driving tech.
The Tesla CEO said on Tuesday that other automakers aren’t interested in licensing the company’s
Full Self-Driving (FSD)
software, despite his warnings that they risk dying out without it.
“I’ve tried to warn them and even offered to license Tesla FSD, but they don’t want it! Crazy…” wrote Musk in a post on X.
“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,” he added, following up with two dinosaur emojis.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving technology enables the car to handle most tasks autonomously, but it still requires human supervision. Licensing it to other automakers has long been floated as a way for Tesla to monetize its autonomous vehicle push.
Musk told investors in April 2024 that Tesla was in discussion with one major automaker over a deal, and in January said the EV giant had seen “significant interest” in paying for FSD.
“I think the interest level from other manufacturers to license FSD will be extremely high once it is obvious that unless you have FSD, you’re dead,” the billionaire said on
a January earnings call
.
Musk’s latest comments suggest that Tesla won’t be striking deals anytime soon.
FSD speedbumps
FSD and its predecessor, Autopilot, have faced significant regulatory scrutiny over the past few years.
Last month, the US auto regulator launched
an investigation
into reports that Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD were running red lights and driving the wrong way down the road. It followed another probe
covering 2.4 million FSD-equipped Teslas
last year.
Tesla has also faced numerous lawsuits over FSD and Autopilot. In August, Tesla was found partially liable for a deadly crash involving Autopilot and ordered to pay
$242 million in damages
. The company said it intends to appeal.
None of this has stopped Tesla from going all in on self-driving. The company is racing to meet
Musk’s ambitious goal
of expanding its robotaxi service to eight to 10 metro areas by the end of the year, and has recently cleared crucial regulatory hurdles in Nevada and Arizona.
How long it will take for Tesla to cash in on its self-driving push is unclear, however. In the company’s latest earnings, executives said around
12% of drivers are paying for FSD
, with quarterly revenue from the technology falling compared to the same period last year.
Meanwhile, several of the company’s rivals have struck their own self-driving deals.
Toyota announced a partnership with
robotaxi firm Waymo
in April to bring self-driving tech to “personally owned vehicles,” while Lucid is
teaming up with Uber
and autonomous vehicle startup Nuro to launch robotaxis in San Francisco next year.
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Business Insider
