How Tesla Should Handle Nag Removal Concern From NHTSA and Transport Canada

NHTSA and Transport Canada are concerned about Tesla's removal of the Autopilot 'nag' screen

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On the day that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released information about roadway fatalities, reporters were more interested in anything Tesla-related. Reuters stated the acting head of the NHTSA, Ann Carlson, made “comments to reporters on the sidelines of an event in Washington.” Those sideline comments were regarding the government’s review of crashes involving Teslas and the possibility of removing the steer wheel “nag” for Autopilot.

By the way, the NHTSA reported that fatalities due to car crashes in the United States appear to be leveling off after dramatic increases over the last two years. But back to Tesla.

Carlson told reporters that the government agency is investing a lot of resources in the Autopilot investigation that started in August of 2021. The acting head told Reuters, “The resources require a lot of technical expertise, actually some legal novelty, and so we're moving as quickly as we can, but we also want to be careful and make sure we have all the information we need."

Autopilot Changes are Coming

Part of the review is also said to investigate if drivers are paying attention when operating Tesla vehicles in Autopilot. The onboard alert system that assesses driver awareness has been activated in several crashes that the agency is investigating, which is why Carlson took particular interest in Elon Musk's recent tweet.

As we reported, Musk responded to a tweet from @WholeMarsBlog asking users with more than 10,000 FSD miles driven could have the option to disable the “tedious steering wheel nag.” Musk responded, "Agreed, update coming in Jan."

Carlson told reporters, “A very extensive investigation ongoing... We are in conversations with Tesla about this latest communication."

Removing the Nag

Musk also recently tweeted that a significant Full Self Driving update was coming in two weeks, including many major improvements. Given the timeline, this change to the steer wheel tension could be part of the FSD Beta V11.3 update. Therefore, it makes sense that the NHTSA has been in contact with Tesla. The results of its investigation could significantly impact the future of the autonomous vehicle vision that Musk has been working toward for years.

According to a recent tweet from DirtyTesla, he states a source told him that Transport Canada is already considering disallowing FSD Beta in Canada and that the removal of the steering wheel 'nag' could be the deciding factor.

DirtyTesla shared the message on Twitter:

"Transport Canada has been close to recommending they pull the plug on Beta in Canada because they don’t feel testing beta software with road users is safe. If the nag is removed they will most likely recommend it be pulled."

What Tesla Should Do

Tesla's reliance on detecting force being applied to the steering wheel was never a great solution. It doesn't provide continuous monitoring and it doesn't always properly detect resistance on the wheel, causing a lot of "not paying attention" prompts.

It sounds like Tesla is already in talks with the NHTSA, so we are hopeful that they're reaching an agreement they both feel good about. Other Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), such as BlueCruise already have hands-free driving on select highways. BlueCruise only monitors driver behavior through a camera similar to Tesla's in-cabin camera.

Instead of Tesla phrasing this as the 'removal of the steering wheel nag,' they should state that they'll be transitioning to better driver monitoring by leveraging their cabin camera and machine learning. Tesla launched vison-based driver monitoring two years ago. There have undoubtedly been improvements and they should state that they're now ready to transition to a system that allows improved monitoring while also reducing the need to 'nag' drivers at specific intervals.

Over the past seven years, the NHTSA has conducted nearly 40 special investigations where authorities suspected Autopilot was in use so their concern is understood, however, Tesla could do better to put them at ease.

Tesla’s New Signal Viewer Panel in Service Mode+ Allows You to View Real-Time Data

@scotsrule08 on X

Tesla’s latest software update, version 2025.2, brings new features to Service Mode, continuing the trend of improving in-vehicle diagnostics.

Currently, this feature is only available for vehicles with AMD Ryzen infotainment systems and requires Service Mode+, which is a subscription service aimed at technicians. Intel-powered vehicles aren’t supported yet, but we expect this feature to roll out to them as well unless hardware limitations prevent it.

Thanks to Spencer for providing an image of the panel in action.

Signal Viewer Panel

While update 2025.2.6 adds four service mode improvements, including updates to brake burnishing, charge port calibration, and noise recording panel improvements. In this article, we’ll focus on the new signal viewer panel.

This new panel offers a live data feed from selectable vehicle sensors. You select the signals you’re interested in and it’ll plot the signal on a graph. In addition to allowing you to view real-time signal data, it also allows you to record them.

The signals are searchable and can be easily added or removed from the panel. You can track up to 10 sensors, and the UI allows three of them to be viewable at once.

However, this is Service Mode and it’s more than just pretty looks. You can really dig down into these charts. You can pan them left and right through time, and tapping a specific point shows the exact value of that signal. The panel also supports pinch-to-zoom, enabling you to adjust the time scale across all panels simultaneously.

This feature is exclusive to Service Mode+, which requires a subscription to Tesla’s ToolBox3 software and a connection to a computer. It’s designed to help technicians diagnose issues related to signal quality, noise in the vehicle’s electrical systems, and signal variance in components during driving.

We’re excited to see Tesla’s continued focus on repairability, especially with additions like the Cybertruck’s Interactive Wiring Diagram and the launch of the Tesla Online Parts Catalog, which lets customers purchase parts directly.

Plus, with the reduced cost of ToolBox 3 subscriptions, even DIY enthusiasts now have access to tools that make Tesla repairs more accessible.

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Tesla Introduces New Model Y Variants in Europe; Ends Launch Series

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Tesla has updated its Model Y lineup in Europe, introducing new standard configurations while discontinuing the limited-edition Launch Series. With the new variants now available, European customers will have more choices and cheaper options to pick from.

The Launch Series and some of its exclusive features will no longer be offered—except in the UK, where it remains available alongside the new lineup.

New Models Introduced

Tesla’s new Model Y lineup in Europe includes three main variants. The prices vary slightly from country to country.

• Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD): Priced at €44,990, this model is the most affordable new Model Y, but it also has the shortest range and is missing a few features available on other trim levels.

• Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive (LR RWD): Available for €49,990, this version is essentially the same as the RWD model, but with a larger battery. It has seen a €1,000 price increase compared to the outgoing Long Range RWD model.

• Long Range All-Wheel Drive (LR AWD): At €52,990, this model has seen a price drop of €2,000, making it a better deal than the previous LR AWD Model Y. This is also the only new Model Y to come with most of the same features as the Launch Series, including additional speakers, a subwoofer, premium materials inside the cabin and improved acceleration. Acceleration boost should also become available for this model, letting it match the performance of the Launch Series.

All Model Y variants come with all the improvements that we’ve discussed about the new Model Y, including the new front and rear light bars, improved aerodynamics, ventilated seats, improved heat and sound isolation, and the 8-inch rear touchscreen. Some exclusive options, like the Midnight Cherry Red paint, appear to no longer be available. However, Tesla has already said that they’ll be introducing new paint options for the Model Y in North America.

Compare Model Y Variants

Here’s how the various Model Y variants compare to each other:

Launch Series Ends

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The Launch Series, which debuted just weeks ago in Europe, has now been phased out. This limited-edition model was priced at €60,990 and included a suite of premium features comparable to a bundle deal you may find with other products. It came equipped with Full Self-Driving (FSD), Acceleration Boost, and exclusive badging on the rear liftgate, door sill plates, and puddle lights.

While the Launch Series is no longer available for new orders in most European countries, customers can still get a similar vehicle by opting for the Long Range AWD model and manually adding premium features like FSD. Acceleration Boost, which was standard in the Launch Series, is expected to become available for purchase once these vehicles are delivered or soon afterward. However, some exclusive elements, such as badging and trim details, will remain unique to the discontinued edition.

For now, the UK remains an exception, still offering the Launch Series alongside the newly introduced models.

Performance Model Still to Come

With Tesla now introducing the expected variants of the refreshed Model Y, one notable absence is the Performance model. While the Launch Series was fast due to the Acceleration Boost addon, there’s no doubt the Performance version will be in a league of its own.

What we saw Tesla do with the 2024+ Model 3 Performance variant was more than just using binned motors. The vehicle featured unique bumpers, a spoiler, an improved suspension, sport seats, Track Mode V3 and other features that made the vehicle stand out compared to the Model 3 AWD.

The Performance version of the new Model Y is expected to become available later this year, however, expect it to carry a $5-$8k premium over the AWD model.

Other Regions to Follow

As Europe phases out the Launch Series, other regions are expected to see similar changes. With the other models now revealed, owners in other regions have a better idea of whether they should buy the Launch Series or wait for the additional models to arrive.

Tesla naturally adjusts its offerings based on market demand, and if sales of the Launch Series remain strong in other parts of the world, Tesla will likely wait it out a little longer before offering the other models.

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