Is the future of self-driving cars now? Elon Musk said he's interested in licensing Tesla's Full Self-Driving software to a major automaker, and he's currently in talks. That technology is in the test phase on public roads.
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"We are already in early discussions with a major OEM about using Tesla FSD," Musk said during the second-quarter earnings call in 2024 via Motor Trends. "We're not trying to keep this to ourselves. We're more than happy to license it to others."
Musk didn't reveal which automaker that he was currently in negotiations with. However, he teased that he had potentially multiple buyers for the technology. "I think there's a good chance we sign a deal this year," said Musk during the 2024 Q1 earnings call Q&A. "Maybe more than one." Tesla currently licenses out its Autopilot technology as a driver-assisted system. FSD looks to greatly improve on this with hands-off driving, but it's still in testing and hasn't been certified.
Elon Musk On Future of Self Driving
Musk said that any vehicles with FSD would still be at least three years away from when the deal was signed. Likewise, Musk gave his own opinion on the future of cars. "It becomes obvious that if you don't have this [FSD] in your car, nobody wants your car," said Musk. "Once that becomes obvious, I think licensing becomes not optional; it becomes a method of survival. It's license [FSD] or nobody will buy your car."
Musk has been trying for some time to reach Level 4 or Level 5 autonomy, but so far, Tesla still has a ways to go. Level 4 and 5 would allow the driver to remove their attention from the road without the need to take over in many instances. Level 3 autonomy allows a driver to do so in limited scenarios. Mercedes, not Tesla, actually became the first car company to get approved Level 3 on the roads. Even Musk admitted it's an area, he's struggled in. "I know I am the boy who cried FSD," Musk said. "I've been wrong in the past. I may be wrong this time,"
Meanwhile, Tesla is facing struggles with the company recently recalling nearly all of its Cybertrucks line. The the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported, "When high force is applied to the pad on the accelerator pedal, the pad may dislodge, which may cause the pedal to become trapped in the interior trim above the pedal."
