Tesla Thinks It Can Sell Its Self-Driving Tech To Other Brands

Aug. 22, 2021 12:23 PM ET by Karl Furlong Technology / 13 Comments

Elon Musk is open to other automakers licensing Tesla software.

Tesla's Full Self-Driving software promises a lot, like the Cybertruck, but the final product remains to be seen. The technology looks exceptional when it works but is downright dangerous when it doesn't, or when it is used by a misinformed or reckless driver. This has led to investigations by US lawmakers and NHTSA. Whether or not the technology and its continued development are controversial, it's certainly worth something. In a move that could now see Tesla's autonomous technology in your non-Tesla vehicle, Elon Musk has made it quite clear that open-sourcing of the software is being considered.

2021 Tesla Model S Plaid Front View Driving

2021 Tesla Model S Plaid Rear View Driving

"Well, it is fundamentally extremely expensive to create the system, so somehow that has to be paid for. Unless people want to work for free," said Musk when asked about Tesla's stance on open-sourcing at the automaker's AI Day. "But I should say that, if other car companies want to license it and use it in their cars, that'd be cool. This is not intended to just be limited to Tesla cars."

The advantage for other automakers would be the quick implementation of advanced autonomous tech that is potentially up to 300% safer than a normal human driver.

2021 Tesla Model S Plaid Central Console

At least, those safety claims are according to Musk himself, who is often known for his outlandish statements. He also added: "There will be a future hardware '4 Full Self-Driving computer 2,' which we'll probably introduce with Cybertruck, so maybe in about a year or so. That will be about four times more capable, roughly."

Basically, Musk believes that FSD - when it finally reaches its full potential - will make driving safer than it has ever been. With open-sourcing of its software, more real-world data could be pulled into the program, which would make driving safer for everyone, at least in theory. But as is so often the case with Tesla, we'll believe it when we see it.