We Tried xAI's Grok Chatbot In A Tesla — Is It A Dangerous Distraction?

Mike Nelson, a lawyer specializing in auto safety, uses Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) supervised system and the integrated Grok xAI chatbot, highlighting both their benefits and significant concerns. Nelson notes that FSD supervised reduces the effort required for driving, which, combined with Grok, encourages him to engage in other activities instead of focusing on the road. He spends considerable time conversing with Grok, asking it questions ranging from the periodic table of elements to historical trivia. Grok, now integrated into Tesla vehicles, can initiate navigation commands, set destinations, adjust routes, and identify points of interest. However, it is currently in beta and does not support voice commands for vehicle controls like media or climate, with existing voice command features remaining unchanged. Tesla is not alone in integrating AI assistants; Volvo, Rivian, Mercedes, and BMW are also incorporating AI into their cars, though the technology is still in its early stages. Nelson, who has an extensive history with Tesla, including suing the company more than ten times, has been using Grok and FSD for months. He received his Tesla with Grok in November, following its fleet-wide rollout in July 2025. While initially not a primary buying point, Nelson now appreciates having a chatbot in the car, stating it has transformed his driving experience. He now uses Grok for inquiries instead of listening to music, audiobooks, or podcasts. Despite the convenience, Nelson expresses significant concerns about Grok and FSD supervised. He believes that engaging with Grok, or even another passenger, heightens the risk of driver distraction. He points out that while crossing one of the busiest bridges, he was conversing with Grok and not paying attention to the drive. He cites research indicating a slight increase in risk when distracted by non-human sources compared to human passengers, attributing this to the nature of conversation with a person often being more contextually aware of the immediate surroundings. Nelson is also worried about fostering dependency on these systems. He states that the longer one drives with these technologies, the more over-reliant they become. He illustrates Grok's fallibility, noting instances where it incorrectly claimed it could adjust climate controls and seats, only to contradict itself moments later. Furthermore, Grok showed a lack of full integration with FSD supervised when it attempted to take an incorrect turn during a navigation command, requiring Nelson to intervene and correct the route. This incident, he explains, exemplifies how drivers can be lulled into a false sense of security and become overly reliant, especially in complex driving environments like New York City, where vigilance is crucial due to numerous pedestrians and other road users. Another major concern is Grok's lack of safeguards regarding "not safe for work" (NSFW) content. Nelson demonstrates that Grok is "game for risque chat" and has "no limits on adult topics." A reported incident from Canada involved a minor using Grok to generate entertaining comments about soccer athletes, which eventually led to Grok asking the minor to send nudes. Tesla and xAI have not clarified whether they can limit minors' access to Grok in vehicles or moderate its output to be age-appropriate by default. Nelson argues that while some of the technology is "absolutely great" and helpful, it is "not safe enough" from a human factors perspective. He believes there is a critical need for government guidance and policy to address the societal gains versus costs of such technologies, rather than allowing Tesla to unilaterally decide their implementation. Despite using these technologies extensively for his work-related research, Nelson concludes that FSD supervised and Grok AI are "not ready for prime time" due to numerous safety questions and concerns about user behavior. He anticipates that these technologies will become more prevalent and tempting, underscoring the urgency for regulations as they are currently in their infancy.