'Just cameras and the AI chip': Elon Musk says Tesla nearing ‘pure AI’ breakthrough for full self-driving

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Monday claimed a major milestone in the company’s quest for autonomous driving, saying that a “generalized, pure AI solution” for Full Self-Driving (FSD) is imminent.

“For the first time, there will soon be a generalized, pure AI solution to full self-driving,” Musk wrote on X. He emphasized that the technology will rely solely on cameras and Tesla’s in-house AI chip, powered entirely by Tesla-developed AI software—a continued rejection of lidar or radar, which some other automakers use in autonomous systems.

For the first time, there will soon be a generalized, pure AI solution to full self-driving.Just cameras and the Tesla AI chip with Tesla AI software. https://t.co/LqFymSqxIE

Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 14, 2025

The announcement aligns with Tesla’s long-standing vision of vision-only autonomy, which has drawn both praise for its ambition and criticism for safety concerns. Musk’s comments come amid heightened competition in the autonomous vehicle space, with companies like Waymo, Cruise, and others taking different technological paths.

The US, Europe, Canada were recently abuzz with protests against Tesla with hundreds of people protesting outside Tesla stores. The Tesla protests stemmed from anger over Elon Musk's slashing of the federal government. Evident from protest signs such as ‘Send Musk to Mars,’ people also took a jab at Elon Musk's Mars mission.

Elon Musk recently revealed his plans to send Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots to Mars aboard SpaceX’s Starship rocket by the end of 2026.

According to Companies Market Cap, Tesla’s valuation is more than triple that of major auto giants like Toyota and Volkswagen. Yet, Tesla’s recent sales trends are not keeping up. Sales have dipped in key markets, and the controversial public presence of Elon Musk hasn’t helped.

As political tensions around Musk grow — especially in the U.S. — some analysts worry that Tesla’s reputation could be taking a long-term hit.