Elon Musk shared a video on X featuring a 98-year-old Tesla owner who uses the Full Self-Driving (FSD) system without monitoring the road. The clip, which gained over 9 million views, shows the driver stating he trusts the technology completely and does not look at intersections while the vehicle is in motion.
Tesla officially classifies the software as FSD (Supervised), requiring drivers to remain attentive and ready to intervene at all times. The company's legal defense in ongoing crash lawsuits relies on the argument that the driver bears full responsibility for supervision, contradicting the behavior promoted by the CEO.
Tesla currently faces approximately two dozen lawsuits related to its driver-assist systems, with potential liabilities reaching $14.5 billion. In a previous case in Florida, a jury found the company partly liable for a fatal crash, resulting in a judgment of $243 million.
The promotion of such usage patterns complicates Tesla's legal position. Plaintiffs' attorneys are increasingly using videos of owners disregarding safety protocols to challenge the company's claims that it does not endorse the misuse of its autonomous driving features.
