Elon Musk has announced that Tesla will soon be rolling out the 'text and drive' feature for its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software that will allow drivers to attend to matters on their smartphone while in transit.
The latest feature was unveiled by the CEO during the annual shareholders' meeting, which detailed many of the upcoming experiences to Tesla and its electric vehicles, centering on advancements in its self-driving features. Soon, Tesla owners who have the FSD available would have the chance to answer texts or other forms of messages on their devices as FSD would take over the driving for them.
Tesla FSD 'Text and Drive' Feature Is Coming Soon
The latest Tesla shareholder meeting unveiled many upcoming experiences for its electric vehicles, with Elon Musk going on stage to share one of the most anticipated ones, which is the capability to "text and drive" while driving. This would be made possible via the Tesla FSD feature, which has been its top-advanced software for hands-free driving on eligible electric vehicles.
According to Engadget, Musk claimed that Tesla is reaching the point where the company is "almost comfortable" in allowing drivers to "text and drive" while using the FSD this way, in transit to their destination. Musk reiterated that it would be a different experience compared to its current setup on its electric cars, where it prevents drivers from using their devices while driving.
Currently, Tesla EV owners using the FSD are strictly monitored by its in-cabin cameras to always be alert and pay attention to the road, despite the self-driving feature being enabled. However, it would soon be a different story as the techwould soon allow drivers to take their attention off the road and use their devices as the vehicle moves and drives itself to the chosen destination.
That said, it was not detailed by the CEO how long this new Tesla FSD feature allows drivers to take their eyes off the road after using their devices, as this feature could be abused as well.
Elon Musk Unveils New Tesla Hands-Free Feature
This 'unsupervised' FSD version is said to be coming in a "month or two," according to the CEO, and this would be available to owners who already have the FSD feature on their vehicles. It is important to note that there are still certain points of eligibility for the FSD feature, and one includes good driving scores of drivers who have applied for the program, and the other is the eligibility of the EV itself.
Over the years, Elon Musk has promised that Tesla would soon roll out Level 4 autonomy on its electric vehicles, but the company has not yet reached this capability for many years since it was claimed by the executive. At present, Tesla's FSD is only at Level 2 autonomy, which still requires drivers to pay their full attention during the drive, ready to intervene at any moment or in an emergency.
It is also important to note that while Level 4 autonomy allows drivers to go fully hands-free during their drive, they are only allowed to do so within a short span of time, and not entirely take their attention off the full length of the trip.
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