Tesla owner David Moss just completed the first fully autonomous coast-to-coast drive in the US, covering 2,732 miles from Los Angeles to Myrtle Beach with zero human interventions using FSD v14.2. This historic achievement, eight years after Elon Musk first promised it, brings us one step closer to a future where your car truly drives itself.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve had this recurring daydream. It usually involves me sliding into the back seat of a car and just falling asleep. Then I wake up, refreshed, at my destination, hundreds of miles away. Or, on a more practical level, imagining that dreaded morning commute becoming productive. I could actually get some work done, maybe even write a blog post, instead of white-knuckling it through traffic.
For years, this felt like pure science fiction. A fantasy reserved for futuristic movies. But watching David Moss’s incredible feat? That dream suddenly doesn’t seem so far off anymore. It feels real, tangible, and thrillingly close.
What David Moss Actually Achieved with Tesla FSD
David Moss drove a 2025 Tesla Model 3 with AI4 hardware running FSD v14.2.1.25 across 2,732 miles and 24 states from Los Angeles to Myrtle Beach with zero disengagements and zero close calls.
On December 29, 2025, David Moss, a Tesla owner from Washington state, embarked on an ambitious journey. He started at the Tesla Diner in Los Angeles with his 2025 Model 3 Premium Long Range RWD, equipped with AI4 hardware and running FSD software version 14.2.1.25. His destination was Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
What happened next was nothing short of historic.
David’s Model 3 navigated an astounding 2,732.4 miles across 24 different states, arriving at Myrtle Beach just two days and 20 hours later. The truly astonishing part? He reported zero disengagements and zero close calls.
The FSD system handled everything thrown its way. Bustling highways, intricate city streets, confusing construction zones, tricky parking maneuvers, and even the necessary Tesla Supercharger stops along the route. It was a comprehensive test of FSD’s capabilities, and it passed with flying colors.
This is the first verified coast-to-coast drive with zero interventions. Eight years after Musk promised it, the technology finally delivered. Whether you’re bullish or skeptical on Tesla, this is a genuine milestone for autonomous driving.
Why This Tesla FSD Coast to Coast Drive Matters: 8 Years in the Making
Elon Musk first promised a coast-to-coast autonomous Tesla drive in October 2016, and former Tesla AI lead Andrej Karpathy called David Moss’s December 2025 completion “special” and a founding goal of the Autopilot team.
This isn’t just another cool tech demo. This is a moment that validates years of incredibly hard work and an ambitious, sometimes controversial, vision.
Andrej Karpathy, the former head of Tesla AI, publicly acknowledged the significance of Moss’s drive, calling it “special” and noting that a coast-to-coast autonomous drive was “a major goal for the autopilot team from the start.” This wasn’t some minor milestone. It was a foundational objective.
The history stretches back even further. In October 2016, Elon Musk famously predicted that a Tesla would be able to drive itself coast-to-coast by the end of 2017. That deadline was missed by eight years. But David Moss’s drive proves that the underlying technology has finally caught up to that vision.
It’s a testament to perseverance, iterative development, and the sheer computational power behind Tesla’s AI. Even ambitious goals, when relentlessly pursued, can eventually be realized. For context on how AI is advancing in the physical world beyond software, our news coverage tracks these developments.
The Fine Print: Is Tesla FSD Supervised or Autonomous?
Tesla FSD is still legally classified as a “supervised driver-assist” system by the NHTSA, meaning the driver must stay attentive and ready to intervene at all times despite the system’s capabilities.
Now we need to pump the brakes on the “sleep while you drive” dream. At least for now.
While David Moss’s achievement is phenomenal, it’s important to understand the legal and technical distinction between what FSD is today and what true autonomy means.
Currently, Tesla FSD is still legally classified as a “supervised driver-assist” system. This means that even with its advanced capabilities, a human driver must remain attentive and ready to take control at all times. The car is assisting you, not replacing you entirely. You, as the driver, are still responsible for the operation of the vehicle.
This legal framework is why, despite the technological leap, you still cannot legally sleep in a Tesla with FSD. Doing so would violate the terms of use and put you and others on the road at risk. The system is designed to reduce the burden of driving, making it safer and more comfortable, but it requires active human supervision. Compare this to Waymo’s robotaxis in San Francisco and Phoenix, which operate at SAE Level 4 with no human driver required in their defined areas.
Despite this achievement, FSD is still legally “supervised.” You cannot nap, work on your laptop, or take your eyes off the road. David Moss stayed alert for the entire drive. True unsupervised autonomy is targeted for 2026.
Tesla Autonomous Driving Timeline 2026: When Can You Actually Have This?
Tesla FSD is available now for $8,000 one-time or $99/month as a supervised system, while Elon Musk targets a fully unsupervised version for release sometime in 2026.
If you’re eager to experience this advanced driving technology, here are your options.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving capability is available either as a one-time purchase or through a monthly subscription.
- One-time purchase for $8,000
- Monthly subscription for $99/month
Both options provide access to the same FSD software that David Moss used on his record-breaking journey.
As for true, unsupervised autonomous driving? The kind where you can truly kick back and relax without your hands on the wheel or your eyes on the road? Tesla and Elon Musk have indicated that a fully unsupervised FSD system is targeted for release in 2026. This would represent the final leap where the vehicle can handle all driving tasks under all conditions without human intervention.
That’s when the “sleep while your car drives” dream truly becomes a legal and practical reality.
If you do a lot of highway driving, the $99/month subscription is worth trying. But if you’re waiting for the “hands-off, eyes-off” dream, hold off on the $8,000 purchase until unsupervised FSD actually ships.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tesla FSD
Can you sleep in a Tesla with FSD?
Not legally, no. While FSD can handle the driving, it’s currently classified as a “supervised” system. The driver must remain attentive and ready to take over. David Moss didn’t need to intervene once in 2,732 miles, but he was required to stay alert. Unsupervised FSD, which would allow true hands-off driving, is expected in 2026.
Can Tesla FSD drive hands free?
The car can steer, accelerate, and brake on its own. But as a supervised system, the driver is expected to keep their hands on the wheel and remain attentive. You cannot legally drive hands-free for extended periods without supervision.
Is Tesla FSD safe?
According to Tesla’s Vehicle Safety Report, vehicles with FSD engaged have significantly fewer collisions than those driven manually. Their Q3 2025 data shows one accident per 6.36 million miles with Autopilot engaged, compared to the NHTSA national average of one per 702,000 miles. David Moss completed 2,732 miles with zero close calls. No system is perfect, but the data suggests FSD reduces risk when used as intended with proper supervision.
When will unsupervised Tesla FSD be available?
Tesla is targeting 2026 for a truly unsupervised FSD system. This would mark a major regulatory and technological milestone, allowing the car to operate entirely on its own without human monitoring in select geographies.
The Dream Is Closer Than Ever
David Moss’s remarkable journey across the United States is a powerful testament to how far autonomous driving technology has come. It’s a glimpse into a future that, not long ago, seemed like pure fantasy.
While the fine print reminds us that we still need to be attentive drivers for now, the path to a truly autonomous future is clearer and closer than ever before. The dream of getting work done during your commute, or waking up at your destination after a night of driving? It’s no longer science fiction.
These are very exciting times.
Related Reading: For more on AI in the physical world, check out Physical AI Is Coming: The Robots That Will Do Your Grunt Work in 2026 | Browse all AI news | New to AI? Start here
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