Tesla DMV Emails Cloud Full Self-Driving Claims
Newly released communications between Tesla and the California DMV show the automaker telling regulators its Full Self-Driving feature requires driver supervision, despite public claims of achieving level 5 autonomy.
Recently released communications between Tesla and the California DMV reveal that the automaker tells regulators its Full Self-Driving Beta requires constant driver supervision as a level 2 system. These emails, obtained through a freedom of information request by Plainsite, show Tesla working to avoid the DMV's autonomous vehicle reporting requirements by claiming most of its testing happens on private roads or out of state.
The documents cause confusion because they appear to directly contradict the public statements made by Elon Musk, who repeatedly promises that the FSD package will soon achieve true level 5 autonomy. At the center of the controversy is a December 2020 letter from Tesla's associate general counsel stating that the current pilot version of City Streets remains in a validation stage and requires human oversight.
Tesla maintains in its regulatory communications that the software released to customers through its Autopilot and FSD packages is strictly a driver assist feature. This careful regulatory language stands in stark contrast to the ambitious timelines and capabilities that the company advertises to consumers and investors.