Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirms Robotaxi security monitor elimination in Austin: this is when

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 publicizes main replace with texting and driving on FSD

We determined to check it, and our important goal was to attempt to decide a extra definitive label for when it will will let you seize your telephone and take 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 advocate you do it. Even when Tesla or Musk says it is going to enable you to take action, it is best to consider the truth that many legal guidelines don’t will let you take a look at your telephone. You should definitely seek advice from 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 flexibility to textual content and drive can be completely depending on the “context of surrounding site visitors,” I made a decision to try 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, in the course of the spans of when it was in my handtaking a look at my telephone display screen. I restricted my time trying on the telephone display screen to a couple seconds, 5 to seven at most. On native roads, I didn’t go over 5 seconds; as soon as I bought to the freeway, I ensured the car had no different vehicles immediately in entrance of me.

Additionally, at any time I noticed a pedestrian, I put my telephone down and was totally attentive to the highway. I additionally made positive there have been no legislation enforcement officers round; I’m nonetheless very conscious of the legislation, which is why I’d 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 totally conscious that this take a look at may ruffle some feathers. I’m not one to textual content and drive, and I attempted to maintain this take a look at as abbreviated as potential whereas nonetheless getting some perception on how usually it will 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 dwell at a time after I knew there can be little or no site visitors. I grabbed my telephone and checked out it for not more than 5 seconds earlier than I’d look up on the highway to make sure all the pieces was okay:

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

— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) December 4, 2025

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

I had no nudges throughout this portion of the take a look at. Site 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 saved the consecutive time of taking a look at my telephone to about 5 seconds.

I’d rapidly look on the highway to make sure all the pieces was okay, then look again down at my telephone, spending sufficient time taking a look at 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 taking a look at my telephone 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’d 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 snug trying down at my telephone 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 bought an alert from the motive force monitoring system, and I instantly put my telephone down and returned to trying 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 snug with it. I’d not ever contemplate 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 will be my fault. Though it will be my fault, individuals would take it as Tesla’s fault, simply based mostly on what media headlines often are with accidents involving these vehicles.

Secondly, I’m nonetheless properly conscious that it’s in opposition to the legislation to make use of your telephone whereas driving. In Pennsylvania, we’ve got the Paul Miller Legislation, which prohibits individuals from even holding their telephones, even at cease lights.

I’d really feel far more snug utilizing my telephone 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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