Federal and California Regulators Increase Pressure on Tesla Autopilot Safety
Federal and state agencies demand answers from Tesla regarding the safety, driver monitoring, and advertising of its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features. The intensified scrutiny follows multiple crashes and accusations of misleading consumers.
Federal and state regulators increase pressure on Tesla over the safety and capabilities of its Autopilot advanced driver assistance system. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration asks Tesla to provide detailed information about its cabin camera, which monitors driver attentiveness, as part of an ongoing probe into 830,000 Tesla vehicles. This federal investigation follows 16 crashes where Tesla vehicles operating on Autopilot strike stationary emergency vehicles, resulting in 15 injuries and one fatality.
Simultaneously, California's Department of Motor Vehicles accuses Tesla of falsely advertising its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features. The state argues that Tesla misleads prospective customers by suggesting these expensive systems provide fully autonomous driving. Tesla responds by requesting a formal hearing to defend itself against these advertising claims, setting the stage for potential settlement discussions or a formal legal proceeding.
The NHTSA demands that Tesla answer a nine-page list of questions by September 19. The agency seeks specific details about how the automaker enforces driver engagement, including the engineering behind the cabin camera system and the allowable time a driver keeps their hands off the steering wheel before receiving a warning. Furthermore, the federal probe questions the methodology behind Tesla's quarterly safety reports, which a recent research council report labels as misleading.