For most people, the idea of a car that drives itself off the assembly line and delivers itself to a loading dock is the stuff of science fiction. But for Tesla, it’s a reality—and a logical next step. Before it even meets its first owner, every new Model 3 and Model Y activates Full Self-Driving (FSD) and navigates the 1.2-mile route through the Fremont factory to the parking lot where it’s loaded onto a truck. Self-driving cars are here!
It's a simple use of technology that all Tesla vehicles already have built in. All the factory does is temporarily activate Autopilot to move the cars internally - the same way owners will use it on public roads in the future. Some believe that this future will be a reality as early as 2025 - that is - self-driving cars.
Teslas now drive themselves from their birthplace at the factory to their designated loading dock lanes without human intervention
One step closer to large-scale unsupervised FSD pic.twitter.com/Aj6dHsLaRO
— Tesla AI (@Tesla_AI) January 29, 2025
Factory test? No, proof of autonomous driving
This isn’t just a convenient solution for factory logistics – it’s also a testament to how close we are to real-world autonomous driving. Tesla uses factory-based FSD to move cars between stations without the need for a driver. And if it works in a complex factory environment, why wouldn’t it work on city streets?
The difference between Tesla and other manufacturers experimenting with similar technologies (such as BMW's Automated Driving In-Plant system) is that Tesla does not require external infrastructure. The vehicles themselves sense their surroundings and decide how to move, without sensors built into the factory floor or ceiling.
Year 2025: When will every Model 3 drive itself home?
FSD capabilities are constantly improving, and Elon Musk insists that Teslas will be fully autonomous within a few years. If vehicles are already traveling through the factory on their own, why not take the final step soon – and simply drive themselves to the customer's home?
If it is true that the end of 2025 will be a watershed moment for autonomous driving, then what we are seeing in Fremont today is nothing more than a glimpse of the future that awaits us.
