In the rapidly evolving world of autonomous driving, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology stands as both a beacon of innovation and a source of contention. As of November 2025, Tesla continues to push the boundaries with its FSD system, marketed as a supervised autonomy feature that can handle city streets, highways, and more. Yet, a paradox emerges in how the company frames its capabilities: when FSD performs flawlessly, Tesla credits the car’s AI; when mishaps occur, the responsibility shifts squarely to the human driver.

This duality, dubbed ‘Schrödinger’s FSD’ by critics, highlights a broader debate in the industry about liability, safety, and the true readiness of self-driving tech. Drawing from recent investigations and insider accounts, this deep dive explores the intricacies of Tesla’s FSD, its latest updates, regulatory scrutiny, and the implications for the future of autonomous vehicles.

The Paradox of Praise and Blame

According to a November 8, 2025, article in Electrek, Tesla’s messaging creates a scenario where the vehicle is portrayed as driving itself during successes, but users are reminded they must remain vigilant and ready to intervene at all times. This approach has drawn criticism for potentially misleading consumers about the system’s reliability.

Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, has frequently touted FSD’s advancements on social media. In a recent post on X, Musk teased that FSD could soon reach ‘unsupervised’ status, allowing drivers to text while the car operates autonomously. However, he acknowledged ongoing legal and safety challenges, as reported in a November 2025 article by Samaa TV.

Regulatory Scrutiny Intensifies

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a probe in October 2025 into 2.88 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD, following over 50 reports of traffic violations and crashes, per Reuters. This investigation marks the latest in a series of federal inquiries into Tesla’s self-driving tech.

A CNN Business report from October 13, 2025, questioned why Tesla’s FSD remains on the road despite repeated safety probes. ‘Federal safety regulators are once again looking into Tesla’s self-driving mode, the latest in a seemingly endless stream of investigations into the safety of the technology,’ the article stated.

Latest Software Updates and Features

Tesla released FSD v14 in October 2025, its first major update in a year, featuring improved performance but also drawing complaints about hallucinations, abrupt braking, and speeding, as detailed in an Electrek piece. The update includes enhanced navigation for errands, commutes, and road trips, according to Tesla’s official FSD page.

In a nod to aggressive driving enthusiasts, Tesla revived ‘Mad Max mode’ in a recent update, allowing for more assertive lane changes, amid ongoing investigations, reported Fox News two weeks ago. Additionally, a software update enables vehicles to recover automatically from interruptions, as highlighted in a November 2025 story by The Cool Down.

Global Expansion and Challenges

Internationally, Tesla is eyeing full approval for FSD in China by early 2026, with Musk expressing optimism in a Reuters report from three days ago. This comes as local competitors ramp up in the driver assistance market, per ETAuto.

In the U.S., Tesla is offering free FSD experiences through November 2025, allowing the public to test the technology in select locations, as announced in a one-week-old article by AI News on Opentools.ai.

Insider Perspectives and Criticisms

Former Tesla self-driving leaders have publicly contradicted Musk’s optimistic narratives. An October 24, 2025, Electrek article revealed that two ex-leaders described a less advanced state of autonomous driving than Musk claims.

Posts on X reflect mixed user sentiments. One user, Dan O’Dowd, shared a video in August 2025 showing FSD veering toward a guardrail, forcing driver intervention, and criticized Musk’s timeline for unsupervised use. Another post from Whole Mars Catalog in December 2024 predicted unsupervised FSD no earlier than Q4 2025, tempering expectations.

Technological Hurdles and Skepticism

A Medium article by Will Lockett, published one week ago, argued that OpenAI’s developments prove Tesla’s vision-only FSD approach ‘can never work,’ citing limitations in visual perception and adverse conditions.

Wikipedia’s entry on Tesla Autopilot, updated November 6, 2025, notes that Robotaxi launched in San Francisco in August 2025 with an employee in the driver’s seat due to regulations, and a Q1 2025 FSD release is planned for China and Europe with limited features.

Hardware and Future Roadmaps

Tesla’s AI team is advancing with the AI5 chip, featuring slight variations from TSMC and Samsung but identical software, targeting high-volume production in 2027, as mentioned in an X post by Kendall on November 6, 2025. The AI6 aims for double performance by mid-2028.

However, issues persist: An Electrek exclusive from December 2024 reported major self-driving computer failures in new vehicles, affecting safety features, cameras, GPS, and range estimations.

Safety Concerns and Data Insights

Critics like those in a Techstrong.ai post from November 4, 2025, highlight that Tesla’s A15 AI chip is 40 times faster but raises safety questions, especially with NHTSA investigating 58 FSD violations.

An X post by Niels from November 5, 2025, pointed out FSD’s inability to distinguish real objects from illusions, poor weather performance, and limited depth perception as fundamental flaws.

Market Implications and Investor Sentiment

Despite challenges, investor enthusiasm remains high. An X post by Lux Singularity on November 5, 2025, noted rallies for Musk’s 2025 CEO performance award and updates on AI chips.

Tesla’s roadmap includes 10 million vehicles on the road by next year and Model Y as the best-selling car globally again in 2025, per an X post by Steve from March 2025.

Navigating the Path Ahead

As Tesla pushes for unsupervised FSD, the industry watches closely. A post by ADODO AI on November 8, 2025, discussed data flow challenges with FSD’s 1.5GB context crunch, indicating scaling hurdles.

The blend of innovation and scrutiny underscores FSD’s complex journey, balancing technological promise with real-world safety demands.