The Problem With Tesla Self-Driving They Can't Solve

Tesla’s Full Self-Driving lacks a true maximum-speed control, forcing drivers to choose broad profiles that can still exceed posted limits by 20 mph, which the host argues is unsafe and unfair since the driver remains liable. Tesla executives reject a manual speed cap as a “legacy” concept or an “anti-pattern,” insisting users should trust the system’s choices, but the host counters this only works for fully autonomous cars, especially since FSD often misreads speed limits. He points out that Tesla has reversed course before—bringing back the turn signal stalk and adding waypoints after customer backlash—so it should likewise restore an adjustable max speed, ideally as a percentage offset over the limit. While Tesla is exploring AI-driven personalization through Grok and learning from driver interventions, the host concludes that giving users explicit control options is the real answer, and he urges viewers to keep sending feedback because Tesla is listening.

• ▶ 0:14 The core issue with Tesla FSD isn't safety, but the lack of fine speed control: drivers can only choose between five profiles (sloth, chill, standard, hurry, mad max) and cannot set an exact max speed or precise limit.
• ▶ 0:47 The "standard" profile is problematic because it will drive up to 45 mph or more in a 25 mph zone, which the host argues isn't "standard" behavior.
• ▶ 1:27 The host asks viewers to comment on their thoughts about having a max speed control feature for FSD, acknowledging differing regional norms and opinions on speed.
• ▶ 2:05 Tesla removed the turn signal stalk in newer models, but after overwhelmingly negative customer feedback, it eventually brought the stalk back.
• ▶ 3:29 After years of customer requests, Tesla finally added navigation waypoints — Elon Musk even joked about giving in to the demand at an event.
• ▶ 4:08 The narrator uses waypoints on nearly every drive, finding them useful not just for complex trips but as a memory aid to avoid missing stops.
• ▶ 4:45 The host recalls that in 2024, the max speed display was unreliable, and his main concern was that FSD still mishandles school zones, so he wanted the ability to manually cap speed via the scroll wheel.
• ▶ 5:28 Tesla's Phil Dwan responded that "set speed" is a legacy cruise-control concept; in FSD, user inputs are treated as errors, and drivers should just choose Chill/Standard/Hurry and trust the system—a view Elon Musk endorsed with "exactly."
• ▶ 6:05 The host disagrees: this philosophy only works for fully autonomous vehicles; since he remains responsible for the car and the car often doesn't know the true speed limit, he should be able to cap the max speed.
• ▶ 6:17 FSD doesn't know the correct speed limit; Tesla later deleted the max speed setting entirely, with speed profiles like "sloth" added in version 14.
• ▶ 7:16 Speed control issues have improved but are not perfect—FSD still speeds excessively even in Chill mode, and the driver remains liable for tickets.
• ▶ 9:45 The presenter challenges Tesla's logic: either remove speed profiles entirely or restore a max-speed cap, ideally as a percentage offset over the limit (e.g., 10%).
• ▶ 10:16 Tesla’s Ashok Elluswamy calls “max speed control” an “anti-pattern,” saying the company is instead working on learning “users’ implied preferences” by observing where and why users intervene.
• ▶ 11:14 The host notes that AI learning has limits when it comes to temporary preferences, which is why Tesla is integrating Grok to allow natural-language commands like “park near the door for me, please.”
• ▶ 12:01 Despite the AI vision, the host argues Tesla should bring back a user-adjustable max speed setting, especially because the car often misreads speed limits and even the slowest setting could still be 20 mph over the actual limit.
• ▶ 13:56 Users have different preferences (e.g., nervous drivers vs. those who want max speed), so the real answer is giving users options for how they want to be driven.
• ▶ 14:18 Tesla has shifted from "all input is error" to treating user input, interventions, and disengagements as valuable feedback data to improve and customize FSD.
• ▶ 15:22 Customer feedback remains crucial—even with brilliant engineers—and the speaker encourages viewers to leave feedback because Tesla monitors social media to learn customer sentiment.

• ▶ 0:00 FSD Speed Control Problem and Standard Profile (0:00 - 1:42) - Introduces the FSD standard-profile speed limitation and viewer opinions on it.
• ▶ 1:42 Tesla Listens to Feedback: Stalks and Waypoints (1:42 - 4:34) - Cites examples of Tesla listening: the turn-signal stalk and navigation waypoints.
• ▶ 4:34 Max Speed Control History and Tesla's 2024 Response (4:34 - 6:19) - Recounts the 2024 max speed debate and Tesla's "set speed is legacy" response.
• ▶ 6:19 Speed Control Debate: Removal, Liability, and No Right Speed (6:19 - 10:19) - Covers max speed deletion, owner liability, the no-right-speed problem, and the missing offset option.
• ▶ 10:19 Current Tesla Response, Preferences, and AI Integration (10:19 - 13:57) - Discusses Ashok's implied-preferences idea, teaching the car, Grock integration, and the anti-pattern view.
• ▶ 13:57 User Preferences, Feedback Value, and Closing (13:57 - 15:51) - Compares user preferences, explains Tesla's feedback history and engineering trust, then signs off.