Autopilot Safety Concerns Deepen: US Regulator Presses Tesla for Answers
According to documents made public on Tuesday, the American auto safety agency looking into Tesla’s driving assistance software is concerned that the electric vehicle manufacturer is endangering safety by not requiring that drivers use the Autopilot system while paying attention.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration focused on a tweak by Tesla that permits drivers to use Autopilot for prolonged periods of time without being prompted to apply torque to the steering wheel in a so-called special order dated July 26. Tesla was required to provide information and papers by NHTSA, but no modifications were mandated.
NHTSA inquired about the software update’s release date, the number of affected vehicles, Tesla’s motivation for installing it, and any future intentions to make it available.
After discovering more than a dozen accidents involving Tesla vehicles colliding with stopped emergency vehicles, the government launched an investigation into the effectiveness of Autopilot. Also, it is looking at how well Tesla cars ensure that users of their driver assistance systems are paying attention.
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NHTSA Raises Stakes in Tesla Autopilot Probe
A necessary step before it may potentially demand a recall, the NHTSA upgraded a prior investigation involving 830,000 Tesla vehicles into an engineering analysis in June 2022. NHTSA asked Tesla for revised responses and recent data last month as part of the investigation.
Enhanced Autopilot can let drivers change lanes on highways. Autopilot is designed to let cars steer, accelerate, and brake automatically inside their lane.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated in an April tweet that the company is gradually reducing notifications intended to ensure that users of its “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) system retain their hands on the wheel. In answer to an X message this week that stated “Yeah” he also responded “No steering wheel nag will be a *game changer* for FSD user satisfaction.”
To assist with NHTSA’s investigation, the special order requires documentation and justifications by August 25. Late answers are subject to a $26,315 daily fine.
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Source: Reuters