Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the company plans to enable drivers to safely text while using its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software, describing it as a major upcoming capability for the system. Speaking at Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting on Thursday, Musk said the feature could roll out within the next few months as part of FSD version 14.
According to Musk, the new software is approaching a point where Tesla is “almost” confident letting owners take their hands off their phones while the car handles driving. “Now with version 14, we’re actually getting to the point where we almost feel comfortable allowing people to text and drive, which is kind of the killer app because that’s really what people want to do and do do,” he said.
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The potential change represents a shift in Tesla’s approach to driver monitoring. The company’s current FSD system uses an in-cabin camera to track eye movement and requires occasional steering wheel input to ensure attentiveness. Musk said upcoming updates could relax these rules, provided safety data supports the decision. “We’re going to look closely at the safety statistics, but we will allow you to text and drive essentially,” he added.
Musk also argued that such a feature might actually improve safety, noting that many drivers currently disable FSD to use their phones and then re-enable it afterward. “It’s certainly been in the current situation, which often people will actually turn off FSD to text then turn it back on, which is less safe,” he said.
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Tesla plans to study real-world safety data from version 14 before officially enabling the function. If implemented, it would make Tesla the first automaker to permit texting while its driver-assistance software is active—though the move could face scrutiny from regulators and safety advocates, as texting while driving remains illegal in most jurisdictions.