NHTSA Orders Tesla to Release Data on Autopilot's Secret "Elon Mode"

Well, it didn't take long for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to dive back into Tesla and its Autopilot driver assistance feature. This time, the inquiry isn't related to Teslas crashing into other vehicles, but rather a normally hidden feature found by a researcher that is apparently known to Elon Musk, hence the nickname "Elon Mode."

What Is Elon Mode?

Most people who don't live down Tesla software rabbit holes probably won't have any clue what we're talking about here. So-called Elon Mode is but the latest "hidden" feature found by greentheonly, an avid researcher on Tesla vehicles (and who only goes by that name). The researcher says the secret mode allows users to activate Autopilot (self-steering and adaptive cruise control functions) without the repeated "nags" beckoning drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel during Autopilot's use. The name "Elon mode" is not recognized by Tesla officially, and is instead a nickname coined by greentheonly.

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Why is this a problem? Tesla offers Full Self Driving (FSD) as an option, which officially allows for hands-free driving. Autopilot is, instead, an SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) that isn't supposed to have any hands-free operation parameters. (A reminder that there is not technically fully self-driving Level 2 car on American roads today.) Other automakers that do offer hands-free Level 2 systems only allow such use on certain mapped interstates and highways. On regular roads, the systems must be used with the driver's hands on the wheel.

In any case, in those situations and vehicles where hands-free operation isn't part of the official operating envelope, you'll be served up a "nagging" reminder alert imploring the driver to place their hands back on the steering wheel. (Ignoring these warnings usually results in the system disengaging and/or slowly bringing the car to a stop.) "Elon mode" removes that safety warning, and the software will stop trying altogether to sense the driver's hands on the wheel. It'll do so without regard to what type of road the vehicle is currently on and without some sort of mapped data for those roads. While Full Self-Driving (FSD) brands itself as "self-driving," even though it's not a true fully autonomous system—known as SAE Level 5 autonomy. It also requires human input and monitoring to ensure it drives without incident and also has a "nagging" feature that Elon mode will disable.

Government Says "NHTSA Fast"

Once news spread about this workaround, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) slapped Tesla with a Special Order to hand over all data related to "Elon mode" in late July. The safety outfit's concern is that, despite being a feature that isn't normally accessed by a user through the vehicle, public knowledge of Elon Mode's existence will incentivize drivers to attempt to activate it. This could "lead to greater driver inattention and failure of the driver to properly supervise Autopilot," as the order stated. Tesla had until August 25 to respond to the letter and any delay may cost the American all-electric automaker up to $26,315 per day if they delay in the required response.

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Tesla's Autopilot and FSD Beta—remember, FSD isn't yet a fully complete system, and is technically a work-in-progress that demands users opt into, in effect, helping the company develop it in real time—have been a constant magnet for NHTSA investigators. A federal probe has been ongoing since 2021 and has expanded since. This request for data on "Elon mode" is just another stone in the mounting wall of issues that the government has had with Tesla's attempts to make self-driving cars—or at least more-capable driver assistants—a reality. Even as those cars continue to crash into other vehicles, bicyclists, and other objects and suffer from notable misuse.