A small team led by Alex Roy says it completed a coast‑to‑coast drive from Los Angeles to New York City in a 2024 Tesla Model S with zero‑intervention using Tesla’s Full Self‑Driving, according to The Drive. The group reports 3,081 miles covered in 58 hours 22 minutes at a 64 mph average, including 10 hours 11 minutes of charging.
Key details
- Vehicle/software: Tesla Model S with HW4 and FSD v14.2.2.3, per Roy.
- Distance/time: 3,081 miles in 58:22 total; average speed 64 mph.
- Charging: 10:11 of DC fast charging included in elapsed time.
- Route: Redondo Beach, CA start; I‑10 into Arizona; north to I‑40 eastbound toward Oklahoma City and St. Louis, with weather‑related detours.
- Hands‑off approach: The team says the system controlled all driving, including around chargers and during detours.
- Documentation: Entire run recorded on two cameras; The Drive says it followed the attempt in real time and is awaiting full video.
- Team: Alex Roy; Warren Ahner (AI executive, former autonomy leader); Paul Pham (self‑driving enthusiast).
- Weather: Snow squalls in the Northeast slowed progress; Roy described FSD’s snow performance as “unreal,” per messages shared with The Drive.
- Caveat: One accidental disengagement due to a steering‑wheel touch; the team still characterizes the run as “zero‑intervention.”
Why it matters
The team frames the Los Angeles–New York path as directly matching Elon Musk’s 2016 pledge for an automated cross‑country drive, positioning the run as a benchmark for Tesla’s progress. The pace was not a record, reflecting real‑world EV charging needs and the decision to avoid manual inputs. The Drive notes it adds to recent long‑distance, hands‑off demonstrations, including a prior LA‑to‑Myrtle Beach trip by another owner.
Caveats and verification status
The “zero‑intervention” label hinges on a reported single accidental disengagement. The Drive says it independently tracked the attempt in real time and is awaiting the team’s full video documentation before broader verification.
Context
Roy is a longtime tester and critic of driver‑assistance systems and previously chronicled human‑driven Cannonball runs, which he says is why the car carried dual cameras for the entire crossing. The group has been benchmarking successive FSD releases against Musk’s 2016 Los Angeles–New York goal.
What’s next
Roy told The Drive the footage will be released and that the team plans additional attempts as Tesla updates FSD.
