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Tesla (TSLA-1.14%) CEO Elon Musk said he’d use a hypothetical job working for Former President Donald Trump to push for a national approach to regulating driverless vehicles.
Although the federal government has looked at national regulations for autonomous vehicles in the past, standards and guidance issued by federal regulators have been relatively scarce, leaving it up to local governments to figure out their approach. 19 states currently have laws on the books allowing driverless vehicles to operate on public roads.
“National approval is important,” Musk said Wednesday during an earnings call. “If there is a Department of Government Efficiency, I will try to make that happen.”
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Musk refers to is a commission proposed by Musk and Trump. The Republican presidential candidate has said that Musk agreed to lead the proposed task force, to carry out “conducting a complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government” and recommending reforms.
On Wednesday, Musk said he expects Tesla to get approval to launch rideshare services in California, Texas, and “some other states” in 2025, along with approval for a “fully autonomous” version of the company’s driver-assist software. He added that he would be “shocked” if Tesla didn’t get approval in California, but complained about the state’s lengthy approval process.
A role leading a commission like DOGE would put Musk — who leads a handful of companies ranging from artificial intelligence startup xAI to aerospace firm SpaceX — in a position to influence government agencies that regulate his portfolio. His companies, including Tesla, have repeatedly come into conflict with federal agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency.
In addition to his online efforts to promote Trump’s candidacy, Musk has donated tens of millions of dollars to his pro-Trump “America PAC” and held talks in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state. The Justice Department earlier this week warned Musk that his pledge to give away $1 million to people that sign an America PAC petition may violate federal laws.