Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated that the latest Full Self-Driving software version permits drivers to text while using the system, depending on surrounding traffic conditions. This update relaxes driver monitoring in specific scenarios but remains a Level 2 supervised system requiring full attention. The announcement has raised concerns over safety and legality, as texting while driving is banned in nearly all US states.
On December 5, 2025, Elon Musk responded on X to a query about whether Full Self-Driving (FSD) version 14.2.1 would allow texting while driving, replying, “Depending on context of surrounding traffic, yes.” This follows his comments at Tesla's annual shareholder meeting last month, where he described the upcoming version 14 as nearing the point where drivers could “text and drive,” calling it “kind of the killer app, because that’s really what people want to do.”
Currently, FSD operates as a Level 2 supervised system, meaning drivers must remain focused and ready to intervene. Tesla vehicles use in-cabin cameras to monitor eye movement, issuing alerts if attention wanders and potentially disengaging the system after repeated issues, with five strikes leading to suspension. The new update allows brief eyes-off behavior, such as sending a text for around 30 seconds, without warnings in low-risk traffic like stop-and-go conditions, according to user reports and code discoveries.
However, this does not shift liability—Tesla maintains that drivers are fully responsible, unlike certified Level 3 systems from competitors like Mercedes-Benz's Drive Pilot, which accepts liability in approved scenarios such as traffic jams under 40 mph. Texting while driving remains illegal in 49 states, Washington DC, and US territories, with nearly half banning all handheld phone use. Social media discussions highlight confusion, with some noting that while FSD may not nag, police enforcement and crash liability fall on the driver.
Tesla's approach aims to reduce disengagements from frustrated users bypassing monitoring, but experts emphasize it does not equate to true autonomy. Tesla reports human-driven vehicles average a collision every 740,000 miles, while NHTSA data shows typical drivers in accidents every 229,000 miles. Drivers are urged to stay attentive despite the relaxed rules.
