--- title: "Industry Group Not Happy That We Referred to Tesla’s “Full Self Driving” Feature as “Self Driving”" description: "An autonomous vehicle industry group seems mighty mad that we, like everyone else, call Tesla's \"Full-Self Driving\" feature exactly what it is. " date: "2023-01-12" modified: "2023-01-12" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/av-industry-group-tesla-fsd" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Self-Driving Vehicles" - "Tesla" tags: - "Autonomous vehicles" - "fsd" - "tesla" - "the digest" --- # Industry Group Not Happy That We Referred to Tesla’s “Full Self Driving” Feature as “Self Driving” ![An autonomous vehicle industry group seems mighty mad that we, like everyone else, call Tesla's "Full-Self Driving" feature exactly what it is. ]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* ## Big Mad An autonomous vehicle industry group is displeased that we referred to Tesla's "Full Self-Driving" mode as "Self Driving" — a term which, last time we checked, is literally in the feature's name. In an unsolicited email, a representative from the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association — which, it should be noted, does not appear to count Tesla as a [member]() — said group has "concerns" that our headline "contributes to conflation in terminology" between automation and self-driving. The spokesperson further called for a "clear delineation between 'driver assist' and 'autonomous' as different and distinct technologies and experiences." Honestly, they're absolutely right. The name of Tesla's Full Self-Driving is indeed wildly irresponsible, as evidenced by the story they were upset about, about a Tesla in self-driving mode that [caused a pile-up on the San Francisco Bay Bridge]() this past Thanksgiving. But Tesla is obviously trying to have it both ways: to benefit from the hype of a feature that claims in its name to make a car fully autonomous, while clarifying in the fine print that the driver needs to be constantly be focused on the road and ready to take over at any moment. ## Name Game While there have been many [calls for Tesla to rename its FSD feature]() because it, again, can't fully drive a car, the fact remains that we, like [everyone else]() [who reported]() on this [latest mishap]() and the [many]() that have [preceded it](), are using the company's own terminology when referring to its seemingly error-prone software. Like we said, though, the good people at the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association are correct. As various regulators have complained, Tesla *should* change FSD's name to be more accurate. But for now, it does contain the phrase "self-driving," with all the baggage that entails. So to answer the group's request for us to "please correct the headline to remove 'self-driving' and add 'driver-assist' so it’s reflective of the disparate technologies and doesn’t contribute to further confusion," we have to issue a resounding: no. **More on Tesla:** [*Guy Brags That His Tesla Drove Him Home When He Was Too Drunk to Drive*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()