In a flash of dramatic irony, Andrew Wheeler, the Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency, praised the Trump administration’s Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles rule, a rollback of fuel economy standards that would allow automakers to sell more polluting vehicles in the United States.
“Too many reporters fail to mention one very important point: the Obama era CAFÉ standards were not attainable by the auto industry. The truth is, the SAFE rule sets realistic standards, will reduce pollution, and save lives!” Wheeler posted.
Such statements, of course, attracted strong responses. In a call with reporters on Tuesday, California attorney general Xavier Becerra remarked that the EPA Administrator’s Twitter announcement was downright wrong. “(EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler) issued a tweet saying that this new rule would save lives, and reduce pollution, and that it would provide significant benefits to the American economy. In each case, he’s wrong,” Becerra said.
On Tuesday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency announced the SAFE standards that will take the place of the Obama-era Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) rules, which required about 5% annual improvements in fuel efficiency every year from carmakers.
Under the CAFE rules, the EPA noted that automakers would have been required to sell cars and light trucks with an average fuel efficiency of about 54 miles per gallon in 2026 model cars. With the current administration’s SAFE rules, vehicles could simply average about 40 miles per gallon by 2026 to meet the new standards.
In a way, Wheeler’s tweet boiled down to one point. The old CAFE standards were simply unrealistic, and America needs the new SAFE rules to make sure automakers and car buyers win out. Interestingly enough, the EPA official’s post came amidst an ongoing climate crisis and a literal pandemic that involves a virus attacking people’s capability to breathe.
Bad timing and taste aside, the EPA Administrator appears to have conveniently forgotten one particular American carmaker that has had absolutely no problem meeting the “unrealistic” standards of the Obama-era CAFE rules. This carmaker currently stands as the most valuable US-based automaker by market cap, and in recent quarters, it has even turned a profit, highlighting the argument that there is a substantial demand and a solid business model for zero-emissions vehicles.
This carmaker, of course, is Tesla. The company had been producing electric cars since 2008, and it has been mass-producing vehicles since 2012. With the Model 3, Tesla started breaking into the mainstream market, with some car buyers trading in otherwise more affordable vehicles to acquire the electric sedan. A crossover, the Model Y, has begun deliveries ahead of schedule, and if initial impressions from professional reviewers are any indication, there’s a good chance that the all-electric crossover will be a disruptor as well.
With the United States’ SAFE rules, automakers like Ford and GM will likely have less incentive to push electric cars. This may be detrimental to both companies, considering that leaked production plans from both GM and Ford have shown that the veteran automakers are still committed to the internal combustion engine despite their pro-EV rhetoric. This could be a costly move for GM and Ford, since territories outside the United States, such as Europe and China, have committed to electrification.
But amidst all these, there is a silver lining. If veteran automakers like Ford and GM will not step up to the plate and provide good electric cars to meet the demand from buyers, a new breed of EV companies will. Tesla has proven that a well-designed, feature-rich, all-electric car like the Model 3 can dominate their established internal combustion counterparts. There’s a good chance that vehicles like the Cybertruck, or perhaps Rivian’s R1T, could do the same for high-end F-150s and RAM trucks.
In a way, the adjustment of the United States’ emissions standards could prove to be an opportunity for electric car makers. Beyond the United States, after all, authorities are going all-in on electric cars. And for some territories such as Europe and China, there is no more turning back.
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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
