Elon Musk Claims Tesla Drivers Are Using Autopilot to Text Safely

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During a conference call with investors on Wednesday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated that the company's full self-driving (FSD) technology has progressed to the point where drivers are disabling autopilot to avoid distractions from continuous alerts. Musk noted that some drivers resort to steering with their knees to read text messages without the vehicle's warnings. He described this behavior as "significantly less safe" compared to being able to use the FSD feature properly, stating, "There is this perverse situation" where disengaging autopilot is necessary to check phones peacefully.

Despite enhanced safety measures being developed, Musk confirmed that Tesla is cautious with FSD advancements, comparing the rollout to gradually testing the water. He announced plans for an unsupervised autonomous fleet to launch in Austin, Texas, by June. Tesla's 2024 revenues rose slightly to $98 billion, while vehicle deliveries dipped by 1%. Musk expressed optimism about future prospects, foreseeing Tesla as potentially the most valuable company globally due to its continued investments in AI and robotics.

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