Tesla Autopilot Investigation: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is nearing completion of its two-year investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot technology and will shortly make a public announcement. Acting agency chief Ann Carlson suggested an imminent settlement but did not disclose details.
The NHTSA is investigating more than a dozen Tesla Autopilot accidents involving stationary emergency vehicles. The regulatory authority also assesses Tesla’s Autopilot system’s ability to monitor drivers’ attention.
In June 2022, the NHTSA expanded its investigation to 830,000 Tesla vehicles and requested further data. Tesla’s Autopilot technology lets cars navigate, accelerate, and brake autonomously in lanes. Improved versions of the system help drivers change highway lanes.
Due to the large number of crashes being investigated, Ann Carlson underlined the difficulties of the inquiry. Drivers must pay attention, she said. Driver monitoring systems must accommodate for people’s overtrust in technology. Tesla hasn’t commented on the announcement.
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Since 2016, the NHTSA has started over three dozen specialized collision investigations investigating Tesla vehicles with Autopilot features. Accidents have killed 23 people so far. The NHTSA has criticized Tesla’s driver alert technique.
The group reported 2022 that nine of 11 previous collisions had vehicles with little to no driver engagement, visual alerts, or audio cautions until minutes before the collision. In 2017, the NHTSA concluded its Autopilot study without taking action.
The NTSB has raised concerns about Tesla’s Autopilot system, which is a part of this technology. The board has highlighted worries about Tesla’s lack of safety safeguards and the NHTSA’s inability to secure Autopilot. National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy has urged automakers to limit automated control system deployment to its intended uses.
Ann Carlson said the public will “hear something relatively soon.” but did not confirm how the Tesla inquiry will end. As the car industry adopts automation and driver assistance technology, regulators like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ensure these systems’ safety and reliability.
Our Reader’s Queries
What is Tesla under investigation for?
In August, The Wall Street Journal disclosed that Tesla was being investigated by federal prosecutors for allegedly using company funds to construct a “glass house project” for Musk. Additionally, Reuters reported last year that a federal criminal investigation was launched to probe Tesla’s claims about its self-driving cars.
What is the lawsuit against Tesla Autopilot?
According to a recent court ruling, Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk were aware of the faulty Autopilot system. The lawsuit was filed by Kim Banner, whose husband Jeremy died in a car crash while using the Autopilot feature on a Tesla Model 3. The evidence presented in the Palm Beach County Court case suggests that Tesla and Musk were aware of the system’s flaws.
Is Tesla liable for Autopilot?
A jury has ruled that Tesla is not responsible for the death of a Model 3 owner who crashed while using Autopilot. The incident occurred in California in 2019, when the vehicle veered off the road and collided with a palm tree before catching fire. Despite the tragic outcome, the court found that Tesla was not liable for the accident.
Is the US investigating Tesla for steering wheels that can fall off?
Tesla is under scrutiny from U.S. safety regulators for two separate incidents. The first involves steering wheels coming off some of their SUVs, while the second is a fatal crash in California that is suspected to have involved an automated driving system. The investigations are ongoing, and Tesla will need to address these concerns to ensure the safety of their vehicles.