Tesla FSD Adds New 'Keep Hands Ready' Steering Warning

Tesla is continuing to refine how its vehicles communicate with drivers during autonomous maneuvers, including a new visual cue in the latest FSD builds.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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Tesla has introduced a new visual cue in the latest software builds of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, which prominently displays a message on the touchscreen that reads "Keep your hands ready to steer." This update is part of Tesla's broader effort to improve its Tesla Vision-based advanced driver assistance system and ensure drivers remain attentive and prepared to take over at a moment's notice as the system becomes more context-aware and capable.

Why it matters

As Tesla works toward unsupervised FSD, these UI changes serve as the bridge between full automation and human supervision. With over 1 million Tesla vehicles currently using FSD, these small software tweaks to the warning system are essential for maintaining safety standards while pushing the boundaries of what the hardware can do.

The details

The new "Keep your hands ready to steer" message has been spotted in FSD v14.2.2.4 and earlier v14.2 releases. It is part of Tesla's efforts to improve driver monitoring and ensure users remain engaged, even as the system becomes more capable of handling complex driving situations on its own. The software is becoming more context-aware, with the likelihood of receiving a warning differing significantly based on the road and traffic conditions.

  • The new visual cue was recently highlighted by @realwhitakerb on February 15, 2026.
  • Tesla FSD had a user base of 1.1 million vehicles as of Q4 2025.

The players

Tesla

An American electric vehicle, autonomous driving, and clean energy company.

@realwhitakerb

A Tesla owner who shared a video of the new "Keep your hands ready to steer" warning on Twitter.

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The takeaway

This new visual prompt is an extension of Tesla's more intelligent driver monitoring system, as the company works toward unsupervised Full Self-Driving. These UI changes are essential for maintaining safety standards while pushing the boundaries of what the hardware can do, especially as Tesla's FSD user base continues to grow rapidly.