Tesla offered FSD to other automakers. Why nobody has signed (yet)
Elon Musk confirmed on September 22 that no automaker has accepted Tesla's offer to license FSD. The offer has been on the table since 2021, and Ford confirmed talks but chose a different path.
A graphic making the rounds on social media reads: "BREAKING NEWS: Tesla offered FSD to other automakers. None have accepted." The core claim is true, but it isn't new. On September 22, 2026, investor Sawyer Merritt posted on X that Tesla "has for years openly invited other automakers to license FSD" and that "none of them have accepted." Elon Musk replied with one word: "Exactly." Merritt was responding to a prediction that Tesla would eventually open FSD the way it opened its Supercharger network.
An offer that's five years old
- January 2021: Musk said Tesla had held "preliminary discussions" with other automakers about licensing Autopilot.
- July 2023: Tesla was "in early discussions with a major OEM."
- April 2024: Musk saw "a good chance we sign a deal this year," "maybe more than one." None was signed.
- January 2025: Musk said interest would be "extremely high once it is obvious that unless you have FSD, you're dead."
- November 24, 2025: a change in tone. "I've tried to warn them and even offered to license Tesla FSD, but they don't want it!" Musk wrote. When legacy automakers do reach out, he said, they "tepidly discuss implementing FSD for a tiny program in 5 years with unworkable requirements for Tesla."
Tesla vice president Sendil Palani added at the time that there had been "great interest, but low feasibility," for example at automakers without over-the-air software updates.
Who actually talked to Tesla
The only automaker to publicly confirm talks is Ford. In June 2025, CEO Jim Farley said he had spoken with Musk, but that Waymo's approach made more sense "to us," because lidar is "mission critical." In January 2026, Ford said it would build its own eyes-off driving system by 2028.
Others went their own way: Toyota is working with Waymo, and Mercedes-Benz is building its system on Nvidia's Alpamayo platform. The viral graphic also shows Chevrolet, GM and BMW logos, but no source shows that those companies received and turned down a specific offer.
Why it's a hard sell
FSD isn't just software you install. Teslarati points out that a licensee would have to adopt Tesla's eight-camera layout and its computer, and its cars would send fleet data back to Tesla. For an automaker that wants to control its own technology and brand, that's a steep price.
Licensing didn't come up on Tesla's Q2 2026 earnings call, and Q3 results are due in the second half of October. Meanwhile, Tesla keeps selling FSD in its own cars, including in Europe. The country-by-country status is in our guide to FSD Supervised in Europe and Romania.
