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Tesla earns nod of respect from legacy auto for pushing sustainable transportation
It took multiple bet-the-company situations, trips to “production hell,” and a massive push towards profitability in the third quarter, but Tesla has pretty much become the undeniable leader in premium electric mobility. With the Model 3 proving to be a success in the United States and getting a lot of interest in markets such as Europe and Asia, Tesla is practically becoming an inconvenient truth to traditional automakers — particularly those that have held off on the development of zero-emissions vehicles.
Earlier this year, Paul Sankey of Mizuho Securities noted during a segment on CNBC that the “Tesla Effect” is starting to spill over to industries beyond the car market. Sankey described the Tesla Effect as a trend that pushes the idea that the 21st century will be driven by clean electricity in the same way that the 20th century was driven by oil. Among legacy carmakers, this particular shift is starting to become notable.
Recently, executives from a number of established automakers acknowledged Tesla’s contribution to the evolution of sustainable transportation. In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, for example, Porsche North America Chief Executive Klaus Zellmer validated Tesla’s breakthroughs in the electric car market, praising the company for its “astonishing” work.
“If you look at what Tesla has done, if you look at their volume and look at their price level, it’s truly astonishing. If you can do that with one brand and a sales network that is not comprised of dealers and a real sales organization, it’s even more astonishing,” he said.
Hope King of Cheddar inquired about Tesla while speaking with executives from several legacy carmakers during the 2018 LA Auto Show as well. Just like Porsche’s Zellner, the execs from the establishes carmakers also admitted that Tesla’s progress over the years had affected their business and the industry as a whole.
Audi of America senior product manager Anthony Foulk noted that Tesla has “pushed the entire auto industry forward and broken ground for some different topics in the industry.” Foulk pointed out that Tesla is among the reasons why Audi opted to release the e-tron SUV, an electric vehicle that is “meant to be accessible to a wide portion” of the market. Volkswagen of America Sales and Marketing executive Derrick Hatami echoed Foulk’s observations, stating that Tesla has provided an “interesting window into what the possibilities could be for electric vehicles and future retail models for the auto industry.” Hatami further remarked that the electric car maker had given other automakers “something to look at and aim for” with regards to the development of EVs.
Masahiro Moro, the President and CEO of Mazda’s North American operations, lauded Tesla for its tendency to boldly break through conventions and adopt strategies that are experimental at best. Moro noted that with Tesla in the market, “we (legacy carmakers) have to look at ourselves to see if there are unmet needs of consumers so we can innovate our process.” Bugatti President Stephan Winkelmann also validated Tesla’s contributions to the car market, stating that the electric car maker has “pushed the car industry in one direction,” while allowing other companies to admit that “social acceptance is key for the future of every car manufacturer.”
Gorden Wagener, Chief Designer of Mercedes-Benz, was optimistic about Tesla’s breakthroughs, particularly when it comes to the features and capabilities of vehicles on the road. Wagener noted that Tesla’s approach to its electric cars is encouraging other companies to “change this industry in the next 10 years more than in the 100 years before” — something that the designer admitted is a “very exciting to do.”
Tesla’s mission has been clear since day one — it aims to accelerate the world’s transition to renewable energy. Elon Musk has reiterated this multiple times, and the company itself has admitted that Tesla cannot push the transition to sustainability on its own. In the auto sector, other companies — particularly legacy carmakers that already have large manufacturing infrastructures — have to commit to developing zero-emissions vehicles as well.
Several companies have already taken valuable steps towards this goal. Porsche announced earlier this year that it is abandoning its entire diesel lineup ahead of the release of the Taycan, its first all-electric sedan. Reports have also emerged that Jaguar is looking to transition itself into a company that exclusively produces all-electric cars.
Perhaps more importantly, though, is that a number of legacy carmakers are starting to realize that there is a very real demand for electric vehicles. Norwegian news agency Dagens Næringsliv, for one, noted that Audi’s sales dropped almost 80% in Norway last month. Inasmuch as the steep decline is rather alarming, Audi’s Head of Communications Morten Moum stated that a big reason behind the decline is that car buyers are waiting for the company’s electrified vehicles, such as the hybrid Q7 e-tron SUV.
In October, estimates indicate that Jaguar sold around 1,200 units of the I-PACE, accounting for 8.7% of the company’s overall vehicle sales. Hyundai also reported that sales of the Kona Electric, its budget electric crossover, rose to 2,473 units in October, 1,000 more than the company sold in September. Estimates also point to 46% of Kona buyers opting in for the vehicle’s electric variant over its more affordable gas-powered counterpart.
Tesla’s growth over the past 15 years has been notable. Amidst the changing tides of the auto industry, the electric car maker is poised to grow even more as it establishes its place as a first mover and leader in the EV movement. It took daring gambits and years of pain and stress, but it appears that finally, Tesla has reached the point where the auto industry’s veterans are not only recognizing, but also respecting, the company’s efforts in pushing towards sustainable transportation.
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Tesla FSD fleet is nearing 7 billion total miles, including 2.5 billion city miles
As can be seen on Tesla’s official FSD webpage, vehicles equipped with the system have now navigated over 6.99 billion miles.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) fleet is closing in on almost 7 billion total miles driven, as per data posted by the company on its official FSD webpage.
These figures hint at the massive scale of data fueling Tesla’s rapid FSD improvements, which have been quite notable as of late.
FSD mileage milestones
As can be seen on Tesla’s official FSD webpage, vehicles equipped with the system have now navigated over 6.99 billion miles. Tesla owner and avid FSD tester Whole Mars Catalog also shared a screenshot indicating that from the nearly 7 billion miles traveled by the FSD fleet, more than 2.5 billion miles were driven inside cities.
City miles are particularly valuable for complex urban scenarios like unprotected turns, pedestrian interactions, and traffic lights. This is also the difference-maker for FSD, as only complex solutions, such as Waymo’s self-driving taxis, operate similarly on inner-city streets. And even then, incidents such as the San Francisco blackouts have proven challenging for sensor-rich vehicles like Waymos.
Tesla’s data edge
Tesla has a number of advantages in the autonomous vehicle sector, one of which is the size of its fleet and the number of vehicles training FSD on real-world roads. Tesla’s nearly 7 billion FSD miles then allow the company to roll out updates that make its vehicles behave like they are being driven by experienced drivers, even if they are operating on their own.
So notable are Tesla’s improvements to FSD that NVIDIA Director of Robotics Jim Fan, after experiencing FSD v14, noted that the system is the first AI that passes what he described as a “Physical Turing Test.”
“Despite knowing exactly how robot learning works, I still find it magical watching the steering wheel turn by itself. First it feels surreal, next it becomes routine. Then, like the smartphone, taking it away actively hurts. This is how humanity gets rewired and glued to god-like technologies,” Fan wrote in a post on X.
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Tesla starts showing how FSD will change lives in Europe
Local officials tested the system on narrow country roads and were impressed by FSD’s smooth, human-like driving, with some calling the service a game-changer for everyday life in areas that are far from urban centers.
Tesla has launched Europe’s first public shuttle service using Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in the rural Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm region of Germany, demonstrating how the technology can restore independence and mobility for people who struggle with limited transport options.
Local officials tested the system on narrow country roads and were impressed by FSD’s smooth, human-like driving, with some calling the service a game-changer for everyday life in areas that are far from urban centers.
Officials see real impact on rural residents
Arzfeld Mayor Johannes Kuhl and District Administrator Andreas Kruppert personally tested the Tesla shuttle service. This allowed them to see just how well FSD navigated winding lanes and rural roads confidently. Kruppert said, “Autonomous driving sounds like science fiction to many, but we simply see here that it works totally well in rural regions too.” Kuhl, for his part, also noted that FSD “feels like a very experienced driver.”
The pilot complements the area’s “Citizen Bus” program, which provides on-demand rides for elderly residents who can no longer drive themselves. Tesla Europe shared a video of a demonstration of the service, highlighting how FSD gives people their freedom back, even in places where public transport is not as prevalent.
What the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Transport says
Rhineland-Palatinate’s Minister Daniela Schmitt supported the project, praising the collaboration that made this “first of its kind in Europe” possible. As per the ministry, the rural rollout for the service shows FSD’s potential beyond major cities, and it delivers tangible benefits like grocery runs, doctor visits, and social connections for isolated residents.
“Reliable and flexible mobility is especially vital in rural areas. With the launch of a shuttle service using self-driving vehicles (FSD supervised) by Tesla in the Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm, an innovative pilot project is now getting underway that complements local community bus services. It is the first project of its kind in Europe.
“The result is a real gain for rural mobility: greater accessibility, more flexibility and tangible benefits for everyday life. A strong signal for innovation, cooperation and future-oriented mobility beyond urban centers,” the ministry wrote in a LinkedIn post.
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Tesla China quietly posts Robotaxi-related job listing
Tesla China is currently seeking a Low Voltage Electrical Engineer to work on circuit board design for the company’s autonomous vehicles.
Tesla has posted a new job listing in Shanghai explicitly tied to its Robotaxi program, fueling speculation that the company is preparing to launch its dedicated autonomous ride-hailing service in China.
As noted in the listing, Tesla China is currently seeking a Low Voltage Electrical Engineer to work on circuit board design for the company’s autonomous vehicles.
Robotaxi-specific role
The listing, which was shared on social media platform X by industry watcher @tslaming, suggested that Tesla China is looking to fill the role urgently. The job listing itself specifically mentions that the person hired for the role will be working on the Low Voltage Hardware team, which would design the circuit boards that would serve as the nervous system of the Robotaxi.
Key tasks for the role, as indicated in the job listing, include collaboration with PCB layout, firmware, mechanical, program management, and validation teams, among other responsibilities. The role is based in Shanghai.
China Robotaxi launch
China represents a massive potential market for robotaxis, with its dense urban centers and supportive policies in select cities. Tesla has limited permission to roll out FSD in the country, though despite this, its vehicles have been hailed as among the best in the market when it comes to autonomous features. So far, at least, it appears that China supports Tesla’s FSD and Robotaxi rollout.
This was hinted at in November, when Tesla brought the Cybercab to the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, marking the first time that the autonomous two-seater was brought to the Asia-Pacific region. The vehicle, despite not having a release date in China, received a significant amount of interest among the event’s attendees.
Tesla FSD fleet is nearing 7 billion total miles, including 2.5 billion city miles
Tesla starts showing how FSD will change lives in Europe
