Elon Musk misrepresents data that shows Tesla is still years away from unsupervised self-driving
Elon Musk is praising data that he claims shows Tesla is on the verge of achieving unsupervised Full Self-Driving, when in fact, it shows it is still years away and he is misrepresenting it.
It’s hard to take Musk seriously when it comes to self-driving timelines because he has been so consistently wrong for years.
Some argue that you can’t hold that against him, even though he uses his claims to sell cars and sell “Full Self-Driving” packages for up to $15,000, because it is such a difficult and important thing to achieve.
Even if you agree with this argument, there are clear problems with Musk’s claims regarding Tesla’s progress and timelines toward unsupervised self-driving.
The biggest one is data.
Tesla has consistently refused to share any data regarding its self-driving progress. That’s despite more recently starting to use “miles between necessary disengagement”, sometimes called “miles between critical disengagement”, as a metric to track progress and claiming x multiplicators in miles between critical disengagement in recent updates without any actual data to back it up.
A recent example was Musk hyping Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software updates 12.4 and 12.5 by claiming they will be able to drive “5 to 10x more miles per intervention“.
Again, Tesla never released any data to back this up, but we have some crowdsourced data that pointed to FSD 12.5 achieving 183 miles (all versions combined excluding testers with fewer than 50 miles) between critical disengagement. Musk never specified the “5 to 10x” improvement was compared to what version, but if we compared it against the last update, FSD 12.3, miles between critical disengagement went down from 228 miles.
There are no prior versions of Tesla FSD over the last 3 years that would add up to a 3x improvement in miles between critical disengagement. We can forget about “5 to 10x.”
Now, Tesla has upgraded to FSD v13 and Musk again claims that it will “blow people’s mind.”
The automaker claimed that v13 would bring “5 to 6x improved miles between necessary interventions” compared to v12.5.
That means that Tesla anticipated FSD v13 to achieve between 915 and 1,098 miles between critical disengagement based on the crowdsourced data.
Currently, after over 8,000 miles of crowdsourced data, FSD v13 is at 493 miles between critical disengagement:
That’s a 2.7x improvement. It’s significant, but it is also a significant miss compared to what Tesla predicted.
Now, Elon and Tesla fans like to claim that this crowdsourced data is flawed and that Tesla FSD is actually performing better.
The data is indeed limited, but it is the best we have by far since Tesla refuses to share its own data. I have often fought against this accusation both because it is undoubtedly the best data available and because Elon Musk himself referred to this specific crowdsourced data in the past.
Now, he has done it again and he did it to claim “exponential improvement” in Tesla’s FSD performance, but it is grossly misleading:
This data only refers to highway miles and Tesla has been operating the same highway stack for years. The city driving software stack is different and based on “end-to-end neural nets”. The automaker kept promising to update it, but it barely ever did – leading to the stagnation you see in this chart.
Tesla worked on this update for years, but it actually wasn’t released in v13. It came in v12.5.6.1. If we take all the v12 updates after this one, the average on highway was already 393 miles:
This is no indication of “exponential improvement”. It is merely Tesla finally releasing a long overdue update to its highway software stack after working on the city software stack for the past 2 years.
Furthermore, if we can take this acknowledgment from Musk that this data is representative of Tesla FSD performance, which should be the case otherwise it would be greatly misleading for him to share it, it shows that Tesla is still years away from achieving unsupervised self-driving despite Musk saying it will happen in “q2 2025”, which is months away.
Ashok Elluswamy, the head of FSD at Tesla, has previously stated that for Tesla to enable unsupervised self-driving, Tesla needs to achieve the average in miles per critical intervention “equivalent of human miles between collision,” which stands at 670,000 miles, according to NHTSA.
Therefore, based on this data shared by Musk, Tesla needs to go from 493 miles between disengegament to 670,000 miles between disengagement within the next 5 months.
Electrek’s Take
I’m no hater. I’m a realist. Without patting myself too much on the back, you have to give me some credit for predicting this with v13. After Tesla’s AI team released the planned improvements coming with v13, I reported that I could see it achieve close to “690 to 828 miles between critical disengagement.”
But then I reported that v13 would result in improvements but come short of that goal after v13 was delayed by a few months and then released with a somewhat dumb-down version.
Now, it ends up at 493 miles between disengagement. It makes sense. It is an impressive improvement, but it is also far short of what Tesla said would happen and still hundreds of thousands of miles away from what Tesla itself said it needs to be to achieve unsupervised self-driving.
Not only that, but Elon is now misrepresenting the data to claim Tesla has achieved exponential growth without no evidence whatsoever.
He is purposely only looking at highway data, which is misleading because the stack was barely updated for years.
I think it’s clear that Elon either lies about self-driving or he has no idea what he is talking about, which somehow doesn’t stop him from confidently making statements that happen to help Tesla sell cars. It’s not suspicious at all.
Again, I liked to point out that I believe that if Tesla was developing FSD in a vacuum without Elon Musk making claims about Tesla achieving unsupervised self-driving on x timeline, making “Tesla vehicles appreciating assets”, and then using this to sell cars and $15,000 self-driving packages, I think that Tesla’s FSd development would be celebrated.
Instead, it is vastly seen as a fraud by many people. That’s Elon Musk’s fault.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 got a major glow up with extra driving range, a sleek interior and exterior facelift, and even Tesla Supercharger access with an added NACS port. With leases starting at just $179 per month, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 might be your best bet to get into an EV right now.
How much does the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 cost to lease?
Hyundai upgraded its best-selling electric SUV in every way possible for the 2025 model year. The 2025 IONIQ 5 can drive up to 318 miles on a single charge, recharge from 10% to 80% in under 20 minutes, and is available starting at just $42,500.
After cutting lease prices last month, the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 was available to lease for as low as $179 per month.
The offer was set to end on July 7, but Hyundai extended it through its new “Hyundai Getaway Sales Event.” The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 SE Standard Range model is still available for lease, starting at just $179 per month.
That’s for the base version, which has a range of up to 245 miles. The offer is for a 24-month lease with $3,999 due at signing.
The long-range SE RWD variant, with a driving range of up to 318 miles, can be leased for as little as $199 per month. Upgrading to the AWD model will cost $249 per month. You can even snag the off-road XRT variant for $299 a month right now.
Hyundai upgraded the IONIQ 5 with a sleek facelift, adding to its already bold design. Inside, the 2025 IONIQ 5 features a redesigned center console, steering wheel, and HVAC control system based on driver feedback.
It also features a more powerful, next-gen infotainment system. The setup includes dual 12.3″ driver display and infotainment screens with standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice-recognition, and more.
If you’re looking for something a little bigger, Hyundai’s three-row electric SUV, the IONIQ 9 (Check out our review), is listed for lease starting at just $419 per month.
| 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Trim | EV Powertrain | Driving Range (miles) | Starting Price* | Monthly lease price July 2025 |
| IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range | 168-horsepower rear motor | 245 | $42,500 | $179 |
| IONIQ 5 SE RWD | 225-horsepower rear motor | 318 | $46,550 | $199 |
| IONIQ 5 SEL RWD | 225-horsepower rear motor | 318 | $49,500 | $209 |
| IONIQ 5 Limited RWD | 225-horsepower rear motor | 318 | $54,200 | $309 |
| IONIQ 5 SE Dual Motor AWD | 320-horsepower dual motor | 290 | $50,050 | $249 |
| IONIQ 5 SEL Dual Motor AWD | 320-horsepower dual motor | 290 | $53,000 | $259 |
| IONIQ 5 XRT Dual Motor AWD | 320 horsepower dual motor | 259 | $55,400 | $359 |
| IONIQ 5 Limited Dual Motor AWD | 320-horsepower dual motor | 269 | $58,100 | $299 |
To sweeten the deal, Hyundai is throwing in a free ChargePoint Level 2 home charger with the purchase or lease of a new 2025 IONIQ 5 or 2026 IONIQ 9.
Both the 2025 IONIQ 5 and 2026 IONIQ 9 are built at Hyundai’s new EV plant in Georgia. The current lease offers include the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, which is set to expire at the end of September. Hyundai’s new deals are available through September 2, 2025.
Ready to test one out for yourself? We can help you get started. You can use our links below to find deals on the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 9 near you.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Environment
Tesla Semi efficiency improves in real-world trucking test covering 4,494 miles over 3 weeks
The Tesla Semi, Tesla’s electric Class 8 semi-truck, saw its efficiency improve in a new real-world trucking test covering 4,494 miles over three weeks.
The Tesla Semi underwent significant changes over the years of delays.
Tesla officially unveiled the “production version” in 2022, but the vehicle never entered volume production. It is expected to finally happen at the end of the year at a new factory in Nevada.
When unveiling the “production version”, which turned out not to be the final production version, Elon Musk said that the Tesla Semi has an efficiency of 1.7 kWh per mile.
In September 2024, Tesla reported improvements in its own fleet after covering 250,000 miles. It claimed to be achieving 1.6 kWh per mile.
Last year, two Tesla Semi customers got closer to what Musk claimed in 2022. DHL got 1.72 kWh per mile in their own test, and Saia got 1.73 kWh per mile.
Now, Tesla Semi appears to have improved quite a bit in a new real-world test by logistics company ArcBest.
The company claims to have put Tesla Semi through regular operations, varying from lane dispatch to regional runs over three weeks:
Over a three-week period, ABF operated a Tesla Semi across typical dispatch lanes, including over-the-road routes between service centers in Reno, Nevada and Sacramento, California. The pilot also included regional runs in the Bay Area and rail shuttle operations.
ArcBest claims that Tesla Semi averaged 1.55 kWh per mile during the three weeks:
The electric Semi logged 4,494 miles, averaging 321 miles per day with an overall energy efficiency of 1.55 kWh per mile.
Efficiency in the trucking business varies considerably based on several factors, including the load, but it is nonetheless an impressive performance.
Dennis Anderson, ArcBest chief innovation officer, commented on the test program:
“Freight transportation is a vital part of the global economy, and we know it also plays a significant role in overall greenhouse gas emissions. While the path to decarbonization presents complex challenges — such as infrastructure needs and alternative fuel development — it also opens the door to innovation. Vehicles like the Tesla Semi highlight the progress being made and expand the boundaries of what’s possible as we work toward a more sustainable future for freight.”
Tesla says that the truck should enter volume production toward the end of the year and customer deliveries are expected to start next year.
While the efficiency of the electric truck has improved, we previously reported that its price has increased significantly.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Range Rover now has its own logo for the first time. The luxury automaker is unveiling a sleek new look as it gears up to launch its first electric SUV later this year.
Range Rover introduces its first logo
Since it launched its first vehicle in 1970, the Range Rover badge has become an iconic status symbol. You can’t miss the classic Range Rover look.
With its first EV due out later this year, the luxury automaker is preparing for a new era. JLR revealed the new Range Rover logo, a first for the luxury automaker, during an investor presentation.
The new logo is a stark contrast to the “Range Rover” badge we are accustomed to seeing, featuring a minimalist design similar to the Rolls-Royce emblem.
JLR told Autocar that the new logo won’t replace the signature Range Rover badge at the front or rear. Instead, it will be used to complement it.
“The Range Rover Motif has been developed as a smaller symbol for where our familiar Range Rover device mark does not fit, such as on a label or as part of a repeating pattern, and within event spaces where an emblem is more appropriate,” the company said.
With Range Rover’s first electric SUV set to hit showrooms later this year, will we see it featured on the new EV? JLR confirmed in May that the Range Rover Electric now has over 61,000 clients on the waitlist.
The company claims the new EV is undergoing “the most intensive testing any Range Rover vehicle has ever endured” ahead of its big debut later this year.
According to Thomas Müller, Range Rover’s executive director of product engineering, the electric SUV is already outperforming some of its top gas-powered models.
JLR has already begun testing new EV production lines at its Solihull, UK, plant in preparation for the new Range Rover model. Next year, the luxury brand is expected to introduce the smaller Sport and Velar EV models.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike