A limited number of all-electric Tesla Cybertrucks have been updated to enable hands-free driving on US highways, following an update released by the automaker. Tesla’s AI head, Ashok Elluswamy, announced on X that the Cybertrucks are the first Tesla vehicles to receive the “end-to-end on highway” driving feature, which utilizes a “neural net” to manage all aspects of highway driving.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk responded positively to this announcement, commending the team’s work. The feature is currently in “early access,” available to a select group of Cybertruck owners who have purchased it. The timeline for wider release remains uncertain, and Tesla, which disbanded its public relations team in 2021, did not provide comments upon request.
Tesla’s owner manuals specify that the full-self-driving feature, known as “FSD (Supervised),” should be used only when drivers are attentive. The system deactivates if it detects the driver’s attention is elsewhere. Critics have suggested that Tesla’s marketing might mislead drivers into believing that the FSD can fully drive independently, raising concerns about potential misuse.
Early preorder customers paid $7,000 for the driving feature, with some waiting nearly a year for its availability on their trucks. Tesla owners now have the option to subscribe to the FSD (Supervised) feature for $99 per month. One Cybertruck owner reported on X that the feature is currently “working well” based on their experience that morning.
The introduction of this feature provides positive news for the Cybertruck, which has faced multiple delays and engineering challenges exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Reports from a leaked “alpha” briefing indicated significant issues with braking, handling, and noise.
The Cybertruck has also experienced several safety recalls, including one addressing issues with accelerator pedals getting stuck. As competition intensifies in the electric vehicle market, Tesla aims to regain its competitive edge through advanced “self-driving” features enabled by AI. Musk highlighted the importance of autonomy for Tesla’s value during a summer investor meeting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) previously determined that Tesla’s Autopilot feature, an earlier and less advanced version of FSD, failed to prevent driver misuse effectively and was linked to 13 fatal crashes from 2018 to 2023. Following this investigation, Tesla recalled 2 million vehicles with Autopilot, though the company disputed the government’s conclusions.
Earlier this year, Tesla reached a settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of a Northern California man who died while using Autopilot in his Model X. Additionally, Tesla faces a class action lawsuit alleging it misled customers with promises of autonomous driving capabilities. Despite significant advancements in driverless technology, fully autonomous driving has yet to be achieved.
Musk has indicated that this may change soon, with Tesla planning to unveil a self-driving taxi, dubbed the “Cybercab,” at an event in Southern California on October 10.
