Elon Musk has said that Tesla is “almost ready” to let drivers text while using its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, signaling a major leap toward autonomous technology.
The announcement comes as the company prepares to transition its FSD software to an “Unsupervised” mode within the next few months.
Musk shared that Tesla is “almost comfortable” allowing drivers to text while the car handles driving tasks. This statement aligns with Tesla’s plans to enable Unsupervised Full Self-Driving within “a month or two,” potentially allowing motorists to engage in side activities while the car operates independently.
However, the Tesla CEO did not outline how the company intends to progress from its current SAE Level 2 autonomy — which still requires constant driver attention — to SAE Level 3 or 4, where vehicles can perform most driving functions without human supervision.
Current global standards
So far, only Mercedes-Benz and BMW have achieved regulatory approval for SAE Level 3 autonomous driving, allowing limited hands-free driving under specific conditions. Their systems work primarily in traffic jams on clearly marked motorways at speeds up to about 38 mph (60 km/h).
Even then, both companies restrict drivers to using in-car infotainment systems rather than mobile devices. The approvals were granted under special permissions in Germany, with similar trials taking place in California and Nevada.
Legal and regulatory challenges for Tesla
Texting while driving remains illegal in most U.S. jurisdictions, meaning Tesla faces significant regulatory challenges before such a feature could be legally deployed. So far, there’s no indication that Tesla has made formal progress toward obtaining approval for an “Unsupervised” mode that allows distractions behind the wheel.
As highlighted by Electrek, such a jump would require major legal reforms to redefine what constitutes safe driving behavior under autonomous systems.
Despite Musk’s optimism, Tesla’s FSD remains under regulatory and public scrutiny due to several high-profile accidents involving the system. Industry experts believe that a fully autonomous “hands-off, eyes-off” driving experience remains years away — not because of technological limits, but due to the absence of robust safety regulations and testing standards.
While countries like China have made rapid progress in self-driving technology, most markets, including the U.S., are still operating within the framework of SAE Level 2 autonomy, requiring active driver engagement.
