If Tesla can't solve full self-driving, 'they don't really have a business': Ross Gerber

July 23, 2026 - 03:38

Ross Gerber, the president and CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management, has issued a stark warning about Tesla's long-term viability. In a recent interview, Gerber argued that if the electric vehicle maker cannot successfully deliver on its long-promised full self-driving technology, the company's core business model collapses. "If Tesla can't solve full self-driving, they don't really have a business," Gerber said, framing the autonomous driving push as the single most critical factor for the company's survival beyond simply selling cars.

Gerber, a longtime Tesla investor and vocal critic of CEO Elon Musk's recent leadership decisions, explained that Tesla's current valuation is not based on its ability to manufacture and sell electric vehicles. Instead, he believes the stock price is heavily propped up by the promise of a future robotaxi network and a software-driven revenue stream. Without that breakthrough, Tesla becomes just another automaker competing in an increasingly crowded market, a position that would not justify its current market cap. He pointed to the company's repeated delays and the ongoing regulatory and technical hurdles as reasons for concern, suggesting that time is running out for Tesla to prove its autonomous driving system is both safe and commercially viable. The warning comes as Tesla faces slowing demand and increased competition from legacy automakers and Chinese rivals.