Tesla In FSD Licensing Talks: Enthusiasts Bet Ford Is The Mystery Automaker

Tesla Inc TSLA enthusiasts are speculating Ford Motor Co F might be the "major OEM" Tesla CEO Elon Musk mentioned during the company's second quarter 2023 Earnings Call.

What Happened: Musk announced Tesla is in preliminary talks with a major automaker to license its Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology. This follows Musk's previous assertion that Tesla is open to licensing either Autopilot or Full Self-Driving, along with other proprietary technologies.

As reported by Teslarati, many Tesla fans have been curious about which automaker Tesla might be in discussions. This speculation was further stoked when a Twitter poll conducted shortly after Musk's announcement showed an overwhelming number of respondents who pointed to Ford as the likely candidate.

Why It Matters: Ford's possible involvement is of particular interest given its past collaboration with Tesla. Ford was the first automaker to adopt Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector, followed by General Motors.

Contrary to these speculations, automakers such as Mercedes-Benz and General Motors, which already have established self-driving systems, may choose to continue the development of their own technology.

Mercedes-Benz's Level 3 system has received approval for operation in certain areas, while General Motors' Super Cruise program has been relatively successful.

Rivian is generally considered not to fit the description of a "major OEM." So, it remains to be seen which automaker Tesla is indeed in discussions with for its FSD technology.

Photo: Courtesy of Tesla