by Offer Without Acceptance
Over the past few years, Tesla and Elon Musk have repeatedly attracted internet attention with loud statements, ranging from breakthroughs in artificial intelligence to the development of robotaxis. Among them, there is one constant offer that often goes unnoticed: an invitation for competing automakers to license Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology.
Lack of Interest from Automakers
Despite Musk’s constant appeals, there are no signs that anyone is interested in this offer. He has publicly discussed the idea of licensing FSD for almost five years. In mid-2023, he repeated his offer, emphasizing his readiness to provide the system to competing brands. Soon after, he stated that Tesla had been negotiating with a “major automaker,” widely believed to be Ford, but nothing came of it. To date, Tesla has not concluded any licensing deals for this system.
Musk’s Recent Comments
Earlier this week, Musk returned to this topic on X. He wrote:
I tried to warn them [traditional automakers] and even offered to license Tesla FSD, but they don’t want it! Crazy… When traditional automakers sometimes reach out, they cautiously discuss implementing FSD for a small program in 5 years with impractical requirements for Tesla, so it’s pointless.
Reasons for Automakers’ Caution
It’s not hard to understand why traditional automakers might hesitate. Tesla’s approach to developing full self-driving has caused some surprise in the industry. Instead of limiting testing to internal resources and releasing an improved system after thorough testing, Tesla distributes beta versions of its software to ordinary owners, effectively transferring real-world testing to public roads.
Competitors’ Own Developments
Musk did not name the “traditional” brands that, according to him, sometimes reach out, but this statement should be treated with a certain degree of skepticism. Most major automakers are working on their own driver assistance systems, many of which are collaborating with chip manufacturing leader Nvidia to achieve this goal.
Autonomous driving technology continues to evolve, and different companies are choosing different paths for its implementation. While Tesla offers its solutions, other manufacturers may prefer their own developments or partnerships, allowing them to maintain control over key technologies. This may explain the caution regarding licensing FSD, especially given the different approaches to safety and testing.
