Musk, as before, is confident that his engineers are close to creating a full-fledged robot car, and the necessary software is only a few months away.

The two technologies I’m focusing on, and ideally trying to complete by the end of the year, are putting our Starship into orbit and then driving Tesla cars entirely on its own. A significant distribution of self-driving cars is already taking place, at least in the USA, in Europe everything still depends on regulatory approval.
– Musk said in a speech at an energy conference in Norway.

What is Tesla Full Self-Driving and how does it work?

Currently, Tesla’s autopilot – Full Self-Driving – is sold as a separate service for $15,000 and works as an advanced driver assistance system. The technology allows you to automatically change lanes, enter and exit highways, recognize traffic signs and traffic lights, and park. At the same time, the software is still in beta testing mode. The company is gradually expanding the functionality and reducing the requirements for the driver to focus on the road.

Musk’s statement regarding the Full Self-Driving system came against the backdrop of a series of alarming news reports about Tesla’s autopilot for the company. In recent months, American regulators have taken an interest in the company’s technologies – according to some lawmakers, the developer overconfidence their customers as they get comfortable behind the wheel and get involved in accidents. Tesla himself, of course, claims the opposite. According to the company, its Fully Autonomous Driving platform prevents 40 traffic accidents per day in the US alone.

Speaking of autopilot, Musk added that it is normal to be under the scrutiny of regulators in different countries. Tesla works with Autopilot certification bodies in both the US and Europe. If the company works according to schedule, by Christmas it will be possible to purchase and activate the fully driverless mode in the Tesla electric car, the entrepreneur is confident.