The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) seems to want Tesla to advertise its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) features to consumers.
According to a report by the LA Times. the DMV isn’t too happy about Tesla’s use of the terms, Autopilot and FSD. And the state agency is also upset about Tesla’s description of how Navigating on Autopilot from home works.
According to the article, the California DMV thinks the following paragraph found on Tesla’s website was misleading.
“All you will need to do is get in and tell your car where to go. If you don’t say anything, your car will look at your calendar and take you there as the assumed destination. Your Tesla will figure out the optimal route, navigating urban streets, complex intersections, and freeways.”
Is this really misleading, though?
That particular paragraph is part of Tesla’s description of its Autopilot and FSD features. Having seen FSD in action for myself, I’ve seen it actually do this. I’ve ridden with friends who have FSD Beta and they would speak into the microphone and tell the car where to go. And the car would go there.
-->The only issue is that this technology is still in Beta and the driver needs to be very aware of their surroundings. This means paying attention to the road. And in some cases, I have seen my friends take over safely.
However, I’ve also witnessed FSD stop for cyclists and pedestrians which many human drivers all too often don’t do.
As someone who doesn’t own a car, I’ve been almost hit quite a few times. If it wasn’t for my paying attention to my surroundings, I’d probably have won a few lawsuits and hospital stays. Perople really don’t pay attention when behind the wheel.
The California DMV’s Solution: Making Tesla advertise or “educate consumers”
They seek to make Tesla add more disclaimers / training for users. Seems like a non-issue. Their main issue seems to be the Full Self-Driving name as Tesla doesn’t actually advertise. https://t.co/hole8WMSx0
— Whole Mars Catalog (@WholeMarsBlog) August 5, 2022
-->If the DMV gets its way, it could revoke Tesla’s licenses to make and sell EVs in the state. I don’t have to tell you how bad this would be for jobs.
The article noted that these “remedies” would probably be “softer.” A DMV spokesperson told the LA Times that it will ask that Tesla be required to advertise the capabilities of Autopilot and FSD to consumers.
“The DMV will ask that Tesla will be required to advertise to consumers and better educate Tesla drivers about the capabilities of its ‘Autopilot’ and ‘Full Self-Driving’ features, including cautionary warnings regarding the limitations of the features, and for other actions as appropriate given the violations.”
In essence, the DMV is trying to force Tesla to buy advertising for its products and services.
Bloomberg noted that Tesla has 15 days to respond to the DMV if it wants to dispute or defend itself. It should also be noted that Tesla is one of the state’s largest employers with over 45,000 employees.
-->California isn’t too fond of Tesla at all, it seems
California already lost Tesla headquarters following the drama from 2020. CA Assemblywoman Lorena S. Gonzales made it very clear that Elon Musk and Tesla, a leading job provider, weren’t welcome in the state.
Although Tesla didn’t close down its factories in California, the company relocated its headquarters to Austin following Elon Musk’s personal decision to move to the Texas capital.
Message received
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 11, 2020
Personally, I don’t blame him for moving out of a state where government officials are openly hostile toward Elon Musk. I’d leave, too. And the move has proven to be very beneficial for both Tesla and Texas.
-->Following the relocation, Tesla seems to be doing very well and recently opened Giga Texas in April. Tesla has also been working closely with the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT).
Reducing the stress on the Texas grid would help Texans during the intense heat and winters. And it would encourage the largest oil-producing U.S. state to openly embrace renewables. Tesla being in Texas is a great thing for both as well as the South.
News
Tesla FSD V14.2.1 is earning rave reviews from users in diverse conditions
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software continues its rapid evolution, with the latest V14.2.1 update drawing widespread praise.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software continues its rapid evolution, with the latest V14.2.1 update drawing widespread praise for its smoother performance and smarter decision-making.
Videos and firsthand accounts from Tesla owners highlight V14.2.1 as an update that improves navigation responsiveness, sign recognition, and overall fluidity, among other things. Some drivers have even described it as “more alive than ever,” hinting at the system eventually feeling “sentient,” as Elon Musk has predicted.
FSD V14.2.1 first impressions
Early adopters are buzzing about how V14.2.1 feels less intrusive while staying vigilant. In a post shared on X, Tesla owner @LactoseLunatic described the update as a “huge leap forward,” adding that the system remains “incredibly assertive but still safe.”
Another Tesla driver, Devin Olsenn, who logged ~600 km on V14.2.1, reported no safety disengagements, with the car feeling “more alive than ever.” The Tesla owner noted that his wife now defaults to using FSD V14, as the system is already very smooth and refined.
Adverse weather and regulatory zones are testing grounds where V14.2.1 shines, at least according to testers in snow areas. Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt shared a video of his first snowy drive on unplowed rural roads in New Hampshire, where FSD did great and erred on the side of caution. As per Merritt, FSD V14.2.1 was “extra cautious” but it performed well overall.
-->Sign recognition and freeway prowess
Sign recognition also seemed to show improvements with FSD V14.2.1. Longtime FSD tester Chuck Cook highlighted a clip from his upcoming first-impressions video, showcasing improved school zone behavior. “I think it read the signs better,” he observed, though in standard mode, it didn’t fully drop to 15 mph within the short timeframe. This nuance points to V14.2.1’s growing awareness of temporal rules, a step toward fewer false positives in dynamic environments.
FSD V14.2.1 also seems to excel in high-stress highway scenarios. Fellow FSD tester @BLKMDL3 posted a video of FSD V14.2.1 managing a multi-lane freeway closure due to a police chase-related accident. “Perfectly handles all lanes of the freeway merging into one,” the Tesla owner noted in his post on X.
FSD V14.2.1 was released on Thanksgiving, much to the pleasant surprise of Tesla owners. The update’s release notes are almost identical to the system’s previous iteration, save for one line item read, “Camera visibility can lead to increased attention monitoring sensitivity.”
News
Tesla FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe begin in Italy, France, and Germany
The program allows the public to hop in as a non-driving observer to witness FSD navigate urban streets firsthand.
Tesla has kicked off passenger ride-alongs for Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in Italy, France and Germany. The program allows the public to hop in as a non-driving observer to witness FSD navigate urban streets firsthand.
The program, detailed on Tesla’s event pages, arrives ahead of a potential early 2026 Dutch regulatory approval that could unlock a potential EU-wide rollout for FSD.
Hands-Off Demos
Tesla’s ride-along invites participants to “ride along in the passenger seat to experience how it handles real-world traffic & the most stressful parts of daily driving, making the roads safer for all,” as per the company’s announcement on X through its official Tesla Europe & Middle East account.
Sign-ups via localized pages offer free slots through December, with Tesla teams piloting vehicles through city streets, roundabouts and highways.
“Be one of the first to experience Full Self-Driving (Supervised) from the passenger seat. Our team will take you along as a passenger and show you how Full Self-Driving (Supervised) works under real-world road conditions,” Tesla wrote. “Discover how it reacts to live traffic and masters the most stressful parts of driving to make the roads safer for you and others. Come join us to learn how we are moving closer to a fully autonomous future.”
-->Building trust towards an FSD Unsupervised rollout
Tesla’s FSD (Supervised) ride-alongs could be an effective tool to build trust and get regular car buyers and commuters used to the idea of vehicles driving themselves. By seating riders shotgun, Tesla could provide participants with a front row seat to the bleeding edge of consumer-grade driverless systems.
FSD (Supervised) has already been rolled out to several countries, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and partially in China. So far, FSD (Supervised) has been received positively by drivers, as it really makes driving tasks and long trips significantly easier and more pleasant.
FSD is a key safety feature as well, which became all too evident when a Tesla driving on FSD was hit by what seemed to be a meteorite in Australia. The vehicle moved safely despite the impact, though the same would likely not be true had the car been driven manually.
News
Swedish union rep pissed that Tesla is working around a postal blockade they started
Tesla Sweden is now using dozens of private residences as a way to obtain license plates for its vehicles.
Two years into their postal blockade, Swedish unions are outraged that Tesla is still able to provide its customers’ vehicles with valid plates through various clever workarounds.
Seko chairman Gabriella Lavecchia called it “embarrassing” that the world’s largest EV maker, owned by CEO Elon Musk, refuses to simply roll over and accept the unions’ demands.
Unions shocked Tesla won’t just roll over and surrender
The postal unions’ blockade began in November 2023 when Seko and IF Metall-linked unions stopped all mail to Tesla sites to force a collective agreement. License plates for Tesla vehicles instantly became the perfect pressure point, as noted in a Dagens Arbete report.
Tesla responded by implementing initiatives to work around the blockades. A recent investigation from Arbetet revealed that Tesla Sweden is now using dozens of private residences, including one employee’s parents’ house in Trångsund and a customer-relations staffer’s home in Vårby, as a way to obtain license plates for its vehicles.
Seko chairman Gabriella Lavecchia is not pleased that Tesla Sweden is working around the unions’ efforts yet again. “It is embarrassing that one of the world’s largest car companies, owned by one of the world’s richest people, has sunk this low,” she told the outlet. “Unfortunately, it is completely frivolous that such a large company conducts business in this way.”
-->Two years on and plates are still being received
The Swedish Transport Agency has confirmed Tesla is still using several different workarounds to overcome the unions’ blockades.
As noted by DA, Tesla Sweden previously used different addresses to receive its license plates. At one point, the electric vehicle maker used addresses for car care shops. Tesla Sweden reportedly used this strategy in Östermalm in Stockholm, as well as in Norrköping and Gothenburg.
Another strategy that Tesla Sweden reportedly implemented involved replacement plates being ordered by private individuals when vehicles change hands from Tesla to car buyers. There have also been cases where the police have reportedly issued temporary plates to Tesla vehicles.
Tesla FSD V14.2.1 is earning rave reviews from users in diverse conditions
Tesla FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe begin in Italy, France, and Germany
