Tesla reliability rankings skyrocket considerably in newest evaluation

On Thursday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk mentioned that Full Self-Driving v14.2.1 would allow texting and driving “relying on (the) context of surrounding site visitors.”

Tesla CEO Elon Musk pronounces main replace with texting and driving on FSD

We determined to check it, and our essential goal was to attempt to decide a extra definitive label for when it could mean you can seize your cellphone and have a look at it with none nudge from the in-car driver monitoring system.

I’d additionally like so as to add that, whereas Tesla had mentioned again in early November that it hoped to permit this functionality inside one to 2 months, I nonetheless wouldn’t suggest you do it. Even when Tesla or Musk says it would enable you to take action, you need to take note of the truth that many legal guidelines don’t mean you can have a look at your cellphone. Make sure you consult with your native laws surrounding texting and driving, and keep attentive to the highway and its environment.

The Course of

Primarily based on Musk’s submit on X, which mentioned the power to textual content and drive could be completely depending on the “context of surrounding site visitors,” I made a decision to attempt to discover three ranges of congestion: low, medium, and excessive.

I additionally tried as finest as I may to all the time look up on the highway, a pure response, however I spent most of my time, through the spans of when it was in my hand my cellphone display. I restricted my time wanting on the cellphone display to a couple seconds, 5 to seven at most. On native roads, I didn’t go over 5 seconds; as soon as I obtained to the freeway, I ensured the car had no different automobiles instantly in entrance of me.

Additionally, at any time I noticed a pedestrian, I put my cellphone down and was absolutely attentive to the highway. I additionally made certain there have been no regulation enforcement officers round; I’m nonetheless very conscious of the regulation, which is why I might by no means do that myself if I weren’t testing it.

I additionally restricted the testing to no multiple minute per try.

I’m absolutely conscious that this check may ruffle some feathers. I’m not one to textual content and drive, and I attempted to maintain this check as abbreviated as attainable whereas nonetheless getting some perception on how typically it could require me to have a look at the highway as soon as once more.

The Outcomes

Low Congestion Space

I picked a neighborhood highway near the place I stay at a time once I knew there could be little or no site visitors. I grabbed my cellphone and checked out it for not more than 5 seconds earlier than I might look up on the highway to make sure every part was okay:

In full: the Low Congestion Space pic.twitter.com/6DqlBnekPn

— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) December 4, 2025

Trying up on the highway was nonetheless common in frequency; I might look up on the highway after hitting that five-second threshold. Then I might look again down.

I had no nudges throughout this portion of the check. Visitors was removed from even a light-weight quantity, and different automobiles round have been very sometimes seen.

Medium Congestion Space

This space had considerably extra site visitors and included a cease at a site visitors mild. I nonetheless stored the consecutive time of my cellphone to about 5 seconds.

I might shortly look on the highway to make sure every part was okay, then look again down at my cellphone, spending sufficient time a submit on Instagram, X, or Fb to find out what it was about, earlier than then peeking on the highway once more.

There was as soon as once more no alert to have a look at the highway, and I began to query whether or not I used to be even my cellphone lengthy sufficient to get an alert:

In full: the Medium Congestion Space pic.twitter.com/gnhIfBVe6Q

— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) December 4, 2025

Primarily based on previous variations of Full Self-Driving, particularly relationship again to v13, even searching the window for too lengthy would get me a nudge, and it was about the identical period of time, generally extra, generally much less, I might look out of a window to have a look at a home or a view.

Excessive Congestion Space

I made a decision to make use of the freeway as a Excessive Congestion Space, and it lastly gave me an alert to have a look at the highway.

As unusual as it’s, I felt extra comfy wanting down at my cellphone for an extended period of time on the freeway, particularly contemplating there’s a decrease likelihood of a sudden cease or a harmful maneuver by one other automotive, particularly as I used to be touring simply 5 MPH over within the left lane.

That is the place I lastly obtained an alert from the driving force monitoring system, and I instantly put my cellphone down and returned to wanting on the highway:

In full: the Excessive Congestion Space pic.twitter.com/K9rIn4ROvm

— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) December 4, 2025

As soon as I used to be capable of set off an alert, I thought-about the testing over with. I believe sooner or later I’d like to do that once more with another person within the automotive to maintain their eyes on the highway, however I’m greater than conscious that we are able to’t all the time have firm whereas driving.

My True Ideas

Though that is apparently enabled based mostly on what was mentioned, I nonetheless don’t really feel completely comfy with it. I might not ever take into account capturing a textual content or responding to messages as a result of Full Self-Driving is enabled, and there are two causes for that.

The primary is the truth that if an accident have been to occur, it could be my fault. Though it could be my fault, individuals would take it as Tesla’s fault, simply based mostly on what media headlines often are with accidents involving these automobiles.

Secondly, I’m nonetheless properly conscious that it’s in opposition to the regulation to make use of your cellphone whereas driving. In Pennsylvania, we have now the Paul Miller Regulation, which prohibits individuals from even holding their telephones, even at cease lights.

I’d really feel far more comfy utilizing my cellphone if legal responsibility have been taken off of me in case of an accident. I belief FSD, however I’m nonetheless erring on the aspect of warning, particularly contemplating Tesla’s web site nonetheless signifies car operators have to stay attentive whereas utilizing both FSD or Autopilot.

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