📌 UPDATE — June 16, 2026 Tesla has now issued an official public statement escalating its opposition to the New Jersey legislation, going beyond owner emails to directly accuse the bill of singling out Tesla for a market ban. In its statement, Tesla said: "Rather than prioritizing real safety outcomes and performance, this bill specifically bans Tesla from the New Jersey market. Every arbitrary roadblock is a delay for the people who need this life-changing technology most." The company framed the legislation not merely as an AV regulatory hurdle, but as targeted exclusion of its proven autonomous technology — a notably stronger characterization than its earlier owner-outreach messaging. The statement was shared publicly on June 16, 2026, and signals Tesla is prepared to fight the bills on a broader public stage, not just through grassroots owner lobbying. via @SawyerMerritt · June 16, 2026 Tesla has begun emailing New Jersey owners directly, warning them that legislation currently moving through Trenton could permanently block true driverless vehicle deployment in the state. The company is asking owners to get involved before the bills advance further — making this one of the clearest examples yet of Tesla treating its customer base as a political constituency. What the Bills Actually Say Two companion bills are working their way through the New Jersey legislature: Senate Bill S1677 and Assembly Bill A3968. Together, they propose a three-year pilot program for fully autonomous vehicles (SAE Level 4 and 5) operating in New Jersey. On the surface, that sounds like progress. The problem, from Tesla's perspective, is buried in the details: - Human driver required during the initial phase. Fully driverless operation is only permitted after the pilot phase concludes without incident. That means no unsupervised FSD runs — even if the technology is ready. - Banned in school