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In a letter to the California DMV, Tesla admits that FSD is not full self-driving.
The correspondence between Tesla and the California DMV notes that FSD and Autopilot are both SAE Level 2 automation.
The automaker does say that it is working toward deploying autonomous features to its vehicles.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been promising FSD (Full Self Driving) software for years. For owners, opting for the chance to have their Tesla drive them to work and back mostly on its own has set them back to the tune of up to $10,000. But according to a letter that Tesla sent to the California DMV about FSD’s capability, acquired by PlainSite via a public records request, the dream of a self-driving car from the automaker this year might be just that, a dream.
The key correspondence comes from December 28, 2020, between Tesla’s associate general counsel Eric C. Williams and California DMV’s chief of the autonomous vehicles branch, Miguel D. Acosta. A letter details the capabilities of both Autopilot and FSD: “Currently neither Autopilot nor FSD Capability is an autonomous system, and currently no comprising feature, whether singularly or collectively, is autonomous or makes our vehicles autonomous,” Williams states.
This a departure from Musk’s messaging about FSD’s capabilities. During a July 2020 video interview with the World Artificial Intelligence Conference, the CEO stated, “I think at Tesla, I feel like we are very close to level 5 autonomy. I think I remain confident that we will have the basic functionality for level 5 autonomy complete this year.”
But Williams paints a different picture of FSD’s capabilities in his letter to the California DMV. “As you know, Autopilot is an optional suite of driver-assistance features that are representative of SAE Level 2 automation (SAE L2). Features that comprise Autopilot are traffic-aware cruise control and autosteer. Full Self-Driving (FSD) capability is an additional optional suite of features that builds from Autopilot and is also representative of SAE L2.”

SAE

The SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) says that Level 5 autonomy technology “can drive the vehicle under all conditions,” and that it can drive everywhere. Level 2 provides steering, braking, and acceleration support for the driver but requires that the driver be constantly supervising the vehicle and features. It’s akin to what’s currently available on many new vehicles with advanced driver-assistance packages.
In the letter, Williams does leave open the possibility for the system to mature. “Please note that Tesla’s development of true autonomous features (SAE Levels 3+) will follow our iterative process (development, validation, early release, etc.) and any such features will not be released to the general public until we have fully validated them and received any required regulatory permits or approvals.”
But for now, Tesla says “we do not expect significant enhancements” to the system that would shift responsibility away from the driver, meaning that the final software release will be SAE Level 2.
That regulatory approval process is what started the entire conversation between Tesla and the California DMV. Acosta emailed Williams after seeing a tweet from CEO Elon Musk concerning the December 2020 holiday update that Musk said would have a FSD sneak peek. Acosta informed Williams that deploying an autonomous vehicle on California roads requires a permit—a permit that Tesla did not have.
Tesla’s deployment of FSD has been mired in delays from the beginning. It was supposed to be deployed by the end of 2019 and then by the end of 2020. Now, in 2021, the claimed timeline has again shifted to the end of this year. Meanwhile, the automaker has pushed a beta of the system to a small group of privately owned vehicles. That collection of Tesla owners testing out FSD is likely to grow in the next two weeks according to Musk with a download button being deployed to supported vehicles likely by the end of March.
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Like previous beta releases of FSD, it’ll warn participants to keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road. According to the letter sent to the state of California, Tesla owners should also expect that when the final software is deployed and they enable their $10,000 option, the car will give them the same warnings.
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Kia has issued a recall for 379,931 of its vehicles, including the 2017 to 2019 Cadenza and the 2017 to 2021 Sportage due to the risk of a fire coming from the engine compartment.
The fire can result from an electrical short, and before owners bring their vehicles in to dealers to have the part replaced, Kia says the vehicles should be parked outside.
Kia, as well as Hyundai, has recalled many other vehicles for fire risk and was recently fined for moving too slowly on recalling certain vehicles.
Kia has issued a recall for 379,931 of its vehicles, including the 2017 to 2019 Cadenza sedan and the 2017 to 2021 Sportage due to the risk of an electric short-circuit in the engine compartment leading to a fire, according to documents on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website. Kia recommends that before owners are able to get the affected part replaced, they should park their vehicles outside and away from structures. Kia Cadenza and Sportage owners can check the NHTSA recalls website to find out if their vehicle is affected.

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The electric short occurs within the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit, but the exact cause of the short is unknown. Owners could see the pressure warning light, ABS warning light, or MIL warning light illuminate on the dashboard before the fire starts, or possibly smell or see smoke. Kia will begin notifying owners of the recall beginning on April 30 and dealers will remedy the recall through replacing fuses in the electrical junction box.
Kia said that it is unaware of any fires resulting from the electrical short in the affected Cadenzas and Sportages, but the potential for fires has become a common reason Kia and Hyundai vehicles have been recalled. In the fall of last year, Hyundai and Kia recalled 591,000 vehicles for a brake-fluid leak which could result in a fire. And earlier in the 2020, Hyundai recalled 430,000 Elantra sedans for the potential of water entering the ABS module and starting a fire.
The Associated Press estimates that six million vehicles built by Hyundai and Kia have been recalled for risk of catching fire or engine failure since 2015. Back in 2019, NHTSA launched an investigation into three million Hyundai and Kia vehicles for their risk to catch fire. The vehicles included in the investigation were 2010 to 2015 Hyundai and Kia models with 2.0-liter and 2.4-liter engines. In addition to recalls, that investigation resulted in Hyundai and Kia being fined $210 million for moving too slowly on recalling certain vehicles.
Kia denied the allegations that they moved too slowly but agreed to pay the fine and avoid a legal fight, according to the AP.
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The updated 2022 Volvo XC60 features a new infotainment system and a tweaked design.
The touchscreen now runs the company’s Android-based connectivity software.
Expect to see the 2022 XC60 arrive at U.S. dealers this summer.
Volvo is freshening up the XC60 for 2022 with design and technology updates. The compact SUV looks slightly different than before and has a new infotainment system, and there are minor changes to the driver-assistance systems and interior trim as well.

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The XC60’s vertically oriented touchscreen now runs Volvo’s Android-based infotainment system, as first seen in Polestar models and the electric XC40 Recharge. This software runs apps such as Google Maps for navigation and Google Play for music. Other tech upgrades include upgraded sensors, radars, and cameras for the various driver-assistance systems.

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Volvo

Visual changes are subtle and include a reshaped grille and front bumper, along with new wheel designs and newly available exterior colors. There are new interior materials available as well.
We don’t expect to see any changes to the XC60’s available powertrains. In the U.S. it offers T5, T6, and T8 models, all of which are powered by a 2.0-liter inline-four. The T5’s version of this engine has a turbocharger and makes 250 horsepower; the T6 adds a supercharger for a total of 316 horsepower; and the T8 is a plug-in hybrid with electric motors that produces a total output of 400 horsepower.
Pricing for the 2022 XC60 is not yet available but it will likely rise slightly compared with the current model, which starts at $42,795 and ranges up to $70,595 for a T8 with Polestar performance upgrades.
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Kia has shared the first images of its upcoming electric vehicle, the EV6.
It’ll use Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP electric platform, which is shared with the recently unveiled Hyundai Ioniq 5 that uses a 77.4-kWh battery and offers either rear- or all-wheel drive.
The EV6 will be the first of 11 promised new electric vehicles from Kia by 2026, and it should go on sale this fall starting around $45,000.
Kia says it’ll have 11 new electric vehicles by 2026. Of those 11 new EVs, seven will be built on the Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP (electric vehicle platform) architecture, and this will be the first one to arrive. The Kia EV6, which we expect to be Kia’s version of the recently unveiled Hyundai Ioniq 5, will be fully shown by the end of the month and join the Soul EV and the Niro EV in the Korean automaker’s current electric lineup.

Kia

Kia says that its forthcoming electric vehicles will follow a simple, numbered naming scheme. Each car’s name will start with “EV” and be followed by a number. Hyundai is taking a similar approach by using the Ioniq subbrand for its electric vehicles and following it by a number. The Ioniq 5 will be on sale in the fall and the Ioniq 6 sedan and Ioniq 7 SUV are set for 2022 and 2024 arrivals.

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We expect that the EV6 will share a 77.4-kWh battery with the Ioniq 5 with an operating voltage of 800 volts. A single electric motor powering the rear wheels should be the standard option on the Kia. Similarly equipped Ioniq 5s make 215 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque in this configuration. A dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup should be optional, with 302 horsepower and 446 pound-feet of torque. The Hyundai is rated at up to 300 miles on the WLTP rating system, but EPA estimates are usually lower. We can expect similar numbers for the EV6.
The EV6 also looks to have daring styling, just like Hyundai’s new EV. It’s a mix between a hatchback and crossover with four doors and a futuristic look. The interesting-looking roofline flows back into a ducktail spoiler with slim taillights that jackknife down the quarter panel. You’ll have to get used to this look because Kia says it’s the “embodiment” of its new design language.

Kia

We’ll know more about Kia’s new electric vehicle by the end of the month, and it should go on sale alongside the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 this fall starting around $45,000. Kia hopes that by 2030, EVs, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids will make up 40 percent of all its sales.
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