Tesla is looking to hire a team to remotely control its 'self-driving' robotaxis

Promises vs Reality of Tesla FSD / HW3

• Large subthread debates whether HW3 buyers were “duped” vs knowingly buying an aspirational feature.
• Some argue it’s outright false advertising: Tesla claimed all cars had hardware for future “full self driving,” took money for FSD, and now admits HW3 may not support the latest stack.
• Others counter that FSD was always sold as an optional, future software package (“FSD capable”), not delivered at purchase, and that Tesla has promised free HW upgrades “if required.”
• Skeptics note it’s been ~8 years since the “all cars have FSD hardware” claim, HW4-only features exist, HW5 is rumored, and large-scale free upgrades have not materialized.

Teleoperation and Comparison to Other Robotaxis

• Many point out that remote human intervention is industry standard: Waymo, Cruise, Zoox all use humans to handle edge cases when vehicles get stuck.
• Key distinction raised: Waymo-style “assistance” (high-level hints, no direct driving) vs Tesla’s rumored full teleoperation with steering wheel + VR headset.
• Some say this shows Tesla is years behind level-4 players and walking back years of “pure AI, no remote driver” rhetoric.

Safety, Latency, and Technical Concerns

• Concerns about network latency and reliability for real-time remote control, especially in emergencies.
• Some argue teleoperators will likely handle low-speed, stuck situations, not last-moment crash avoidance.
• Comparisons: Waymo is described as driving “boringly” and carefully; Tesla FSD as more aggressive and still level 2, needing frequent human intervention.

Ethics, Labor, and Economics

• Worries about underpaid, overworked remote drivers, possibly offshore, with “low skin in the game.”
• Some see this as a clever cost-saving step toward cheaper on-demand “private drivers.”
• Others criticize it as a degraded version of the original autonomy vision and a step toward invisible global gig labor.

Regulation and Legal Context

• Discussion of Tesla winning an investor lawsuit by framing FSD claims as non-actionable “puffery.”
• Separate customer and DMV false-advertising cases are noted as still active.
• Some connect Tesla’s lobbying for federal preemption and weaker consumer protection to its FSD and robotaxi strategy.

Consumer Responsibility and Tribalism

• Thread argues over whether buyers “should have known better” given repeated delays vs deserving robust consumer protection.
• Several note heavy polarization: mild praise for Tesla or mild criticism of it both draw strong reactions.