- Elon Musk wants fully self-driving Teslas ready to go on sale by the end of this year.
- The Tesla CEO made the announcement at an energy conference in Norway, Reuters reported.
- Musk's hopes of having the cars available by Christmas depends on regulatory approval.
Elon Musk said he wants fully self-driving Teslas to go on sale by the end of this year.
Speaking at a conference in Norway on Monday, he said he aimed to have the electric cars ready by Christmas in the US, and possibly Europe as well, depending on regulatory approval, Reuters reported.
Musk also told the event in Stavanger that the world still needs oil and gas or that civilization would crumble.
Earlier this month Tesla's chief executive said its Full Self-Driving software would rise for the second time this year to $15,000 in North America. No reason for the increase was given but he has said previously the technology would become more expensive as it became more sophisticated.
Tesla didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
Musk conceded that Tesla's self-driving tech was still under regulatory scrutiny. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced in June it was expanding a probe into Tesla's Autopilot driver-assistance function to determine whether it was defective.
In July, the California Department of Motor Vehicles filed a complaint against Tesla, alleging it has used "untrue or misleading" statements in advertising its driver assistance programs.
In another instance, the billionaire threatened to take legal action against a tech CEO who launched a viral ad campaign criticizing the electric-car maker's full self-driving software. The ad appeared to show a Tesla crashing into a child-sized mannequin.
The system enables Teslas to automatically change lanes, enter and exit freeways, recognize stop signs and traffic lights, and park. The software, still in a beta testing mode, requires a licensed driver to monitor it at all times.