Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) AI chief Ashok Elluswamy said Full Self-Driving should learn how fast each owner prefers to travel instead of relying on a manual ceiling, calling maximum-speed control "an anti-pattern."
Elluswamy Pushes FSD Toward Learned Preferences
"We are working on better learning of users’ implied preferences," Elluswamy wrote on X in a reply on Monday. He was responding to Tesla enthusiast David Moss, who said he hoped Max Speed control would never return on either AI3 or AI4 vehicles and added, "All input is error."
The exchange points toward a more personalized FSD that studies interventions, driving profiles, traffic flow and road context. Elon Musk recently said the system would remember drivers’ "specific interventions" and match "each person’s individual preferences," extending Tesla’s plans to make FSD adapt to individual users.
Tesla’s documentation says FSD (Supervised) selects an appropriate maximum speed using the detected limit, driving profile and surrounding traffic. Depending on the software version and market, owners can adjust speed with the steering-wheel scroll control or select profiles ranging from Chill to Mad Max. Tesla still requires drivers to remain attentive and responsible for vehicle speed.
Owners Split Over Removing Manual Controls
Supporters welcomed Elluswamy’s AI-first approach. Moss argued that capable autonomy should not need repeated manual correction, while prominent tester Dirty Tesla amplified the comment and linked it to Tesla’s shift toward vehicles without conventional controls.
Other owners pushed back, saying FSD sometimes travels below the limit or accelerates beyond their comfort level. Tesla owner forums have repeatedly asked the company to restore a simple user-set ceiling.
European Regulators Scrutinize Tesla Speed Features
That divide matters beyond convenience. Sweden’s transport authority urged European regulators to oppose a wider FSD rollout unless Tesla disables behavior that permits speeds above legal limits. Reuters reported recently that Tesla uses "Contextual Max Speed" and a "Speed Offset," while France has also raised speeding and driver-attention concerns, adding pressure to Tesla’s European FSD expansion.
Tesla is separately developing FSD that remembers parking preferences and accepts voice commands for neighborhood navigation. The strategy aims to replace menus and overrides with software that predicts intent.
As things stand, FSD remains a Level 2 driver-assistance system. NHTSA says systems in that category require the driver to stay fully engaged.
Benzinga Edge Rankings show Tesla stock scores poorly on the Momentum and Value metrics, but provides satisfactory Growth and Quality.
Price Action: Tesla shares were up 0.60% to $324.02 during pre-market trading on Tuesday.
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