Tesla's Full Self Drive (FSD): Toy or Tool?

Tesla's Full Self Drive (FSD) feature has undoubtedly been revolutionary, eventually turning the futuristic dream of autonomous driving into reality—or so Elon Musk promises. But let's step away from the hype for a moment and get practical. Specifically, let's talk about that oversized touchscreen display that comes standard in every Tesla vehicle. You know, the one that's roughly the size of a laptop and arguably brighter than Times Square at night.

First, a quick sanity check: In most jurisdictions, using your mobile phone while driving is illegal. You're not allowed to text, scroll, or even select your favourite song unless your phone is safely docked and operated through voice commands. Fair enough—eyes on the road and hands on the wheel makes sense. But what about a touchscreen nearly as large as some home TVs, placed right in the middle of your dashboard? Does the law treat it differently just because it came with your £60,000 car?

Here's the reality: Even though built-in infotainment systems are technically legal, many jurisdictions specifically limit the kind of interactions you can legally have with them while driving. Adjusting climate controls or changing a radio station? Generally acceptable. Typing in addresses, interacting extensively with navigation menus, or browsing playlists visually? Typically not allowed while in motion.

And this brings us to the heart of the matter: Tesla’s FSD maps display. If Tesla’s autonomous driving capability genuinely works as advertised, why does the driver need the map prominently displayed during FSD operation at all? After all, if the car is fully in control, what's the point of providing navigation cues to the driver? It’s like displaying the recipe while someone else is cooking dinner for you—nice to look at, perhaps, but entirely unnecessary.

Tesla enthusiasts might argue the map is there to reassure drivers, allowing them to check the vehicle’s planned route and intended manoeuvres. But here’s the thing—doing that safely requires diverting your eyes from the road to the screen. And if you genuinely trust the FSD system, there's no practical reason for you to supervise a route on-screen. Conversely, if you don’t fully trust the system, then it shouldn't be engaged at all.

The solution is almost comically simple: automatically toggle the map display off when FSD is active. If Tesla is confident in its system, removing the distraction should be a no-brainer. It would reinforce the message that drivers need not—and indeed must not—interact unnecessarily with the touchscreen. If they really need to see maps, they could always glance at them before or after the drive, just as one would consult a printed map before heading out (remember those?).

Final Thought

If you’re truly relying on Tesla’s FSD, eyes on the road should mean exactly that—eyes on the road, not on a glorified tablet glued to your dashboard.

Bill White Says...

“Tesla’s touchscreen is a bit like having Netflix in the shower—it sounds cool, but somebody's eventually going to get shocked.”