Yet Another Blow for Tesla’s FSD Dreams
Elon Musk, billionaire entrepreneur and someone with questionable adherence to timelines, has constantly touted how revolutionary Tesla’s self-driving technology is. Apparently, it was the next best thing since sliced bread, but unfortunately, things are looking bleak, at least if you’re the CEO who thought it could be monetized in more ways than one.
News about legacy automakers not wanting to license the technology has surfaced, and it came from none other than the CEO himself. Musk, in a post on X, wrote, "I've tried to warn them and even offered to license Tesla FSD, but they don't want it! Crazy…" He further added, “When legacy auto does occasionally reach out, they tepidly discuss implementing FSD for a tiny program in 5 years with unworkable requirements for Tesla, so pointless.”
Not What Musk Had in Mind
This comes in stark contrast to what the CEO believed how things would pan out. Not too long ago, Musk told investors that there is "significant interest" from legacy players in licensing Tesla’s FSD tech. In an earnings call, as reported by Business Insider, he was quoted as saying, “I think the interest level from other manufacturers to license FSD will be extremely high once it is obvious that unless you have FSD, you're dead.”
I’ve tried to warn them and even offered to license Tesla FSD, but they don’t want it! Crazy …
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 24, 2025
When legacy auto does occasionally reach out, they tepidly discuss implementing FSD for a tiny program in 5 years with unworkable requirements for Tesla, so pointless. 🤷♂️
🦕 🦕
Well, now, it’s pretty clear that things are not going as planned. So what might be the reason, you ask? According to Electrek, the problem is likely the name itself. If you’re selling something branded “Full Self-Driving,” it should do what it says on the box, at least that’s what automakers expect when they license it. However, Tesla’s FSD system, now called “Full Self-Driving (Supervised)," itself an oxymoron, requires human intervention.
Tesla
Despite its name, Tesla FSD is still a Level 2 technology—Level 3 is full autonomy. Moreover, Tesla isn’t like Mercedes-Benz, for instance, which takes full legal liability for its Drive Pilot, Level 3, fully autonomous system, should something go wrong. Tesla FSD is no stranger to federal investigations and lawsuits, either. So you can’t expect Ford, GM, Stellantis, or any corporate automaker to associate with a product that’s, at least for the time being, a rolling legal nightmare.
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