Tesla Just Dropped "Full Self-Driving" Mode From the Model 3

Hands Up

Can Tesla cars drive themselves?

The flagship electric car company's answer to that question has been confusing — which has ended in disaster on a number of occasions.

But now we have clarity. The order page for the new Tesla Model 3 doesn't feature the much-hyped "Full Self-Driving Capability" that promised customers "all you will need to do is get in and tell your car where to go." CEO Elon Musk tweeted that the feature caused "too much confusion."

Feature Creep

Removing the feature will certainly sting for potential Tesla buyers. Especially in light of the $7,500 tax credit that Tesla no longer guarantees after October 15.

The government is quite open to self-driving cars, at least in theory. The real problem: the feature doesn't exist yet, as Ars Technica points out.

So when will Teslas really be able to drive themselves? That's very hard to predict. For instance, Tesla's newly introduced "Mad Max mode" can even irritate other human drivers just as effectively as any aggressive driver in an Audi.

Enhanced Driving

For now, customers will have to settle for "Enhanced Autopilot," which includes lane assist and changing, intelligent blind spot monitoring, self-parking, and even navigating complex highway intersections.

People's lives are at stake here. It's a good thing Elon Musk decided to take things slow, and no longer offer the feature — fully autonomous driving isn't going to happen over night.

More on Tesla's autonomous car efforts: Tesla’s Autonomous Semi Truck Has Its First Official Mission

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