Elon Musk recently hinted that Tesla is planning to eliminate the much-criticized steering wheel nag with the release of the Full Self-Driving (Supervised) Beta. Although the timeline for this change is not confirmed, it is expected to be implemented before the end of May.
Each subsequent version of the FSD Supervised Beta program includes various enhancements that improve its robustness and accuracy. Musk suggested on X that the next version will come with an adjusted version of the steering wheel nag.
Musk’s response, shared on May 8, 2024, is quite vague, leaving the specific nature of the “fixed” issue open to interpretation. However, it appears that Tesla may not continue using the steering wheel nag to alert attentive drivers.
Many drivers have criticized the steering wheel nag, which requires them to physically touch the steering wheel to demonstrate continued attention. Tesla has explored alternative measures, such as a cabin-facing camera, to ensure that vehicle operators remain prepared to take control when necessary.
This is not the first time Musk has mentioned the potential removal of this feature. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has taken notice of Tesla’s plans and initiated an investigation to assess the technologies and methods employed to monitor and enforce driver engagement during the operation of Autopilot.
Tesla is also facing scrutiny from the NHTSA for its December Over-the-Air software update, which was labeled as a recall. The agency has opened an inquiry into this “recall” to evaluate the effectiveness of the safeguards implemented by Tesla to ensure driver awareness when using the semi-autonomous driving capabilities.