Tesla may license its self-driving software to other automakers. In fact, Chief Executive Elon Musk said the company has had “preliminary” discussions with potential partners.
Musk mentioned the meetings during Tesla’s Q4 2020 earnings call.
“We’ve had some preliminary discussions about licensing Autopilot to other OEMs,” Musk said on the call. “This is something we’re more than happy to do.”
Musk noted that for such a partnership to take place, Tesla would need to further prove that Autopilot is safe in full self-driving mode. Musk said the proof could come by the end of the year.
Musk didn’t disclose which other automakers have expressed interest in licensing the technology. While others are developing their own in-house technology, Tesla’s fleet has logged billions of miles to train the software. The company may have a big enough head start that it makes sense for the industry to adopt Tesla’s offering.