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Musk Says Tesla FSD Now Lets Drivers Text in Some Situations, Despite State Bans

The software remains a supervised Level 2 system that keeps responsibility on the driver.

Overview

  • In a post on X, Elon Musk confirmed FSD v14.2.1 allows phone use “depending on context of surrounding traffic.”
  • Reporting indicates Tesla is loosening its cabin-camera attention nags in limited scenarios, likely when stationary or in slow traffic.
  • Texting while driving is illegal in nearly all U.S. states, so a software update would not shield drivers from citations.
  • FSD still requires active supervision, uses an in-cabin camera for attention monitoring, and can suspend features after repeated strikes.
  • NHTSA continues investigating FSD performance, and Tesla is contesting a California DMV case over its self-driving marketing with a ruling expected this year.