Just days after Tesla’s big event and Robotaxi announcement, US auto safety regulators have opened an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving software. The investigation comes after four reported crashes where the system was in use, including one fatal collision last year.
Tesla
Tesla, Inc. is an American electric vehicle manufacturer largely attributed to driving the EV revolution. Through the Model S and subsequent products, Tesla has innovated and challenged industry conventions on numerous fronts, including over-the-air updates, self-driving technology, and automotive construction methods. Tesla is considered the world’s most valuable car brand as of 2023, and the Model Y the world’s best-selling car in the same year, but the brand’s greatest achievement is arguably the Supercharger network of EV charging stations.
- Founded
- July 1, 2003
- Founder
- Martin Eberhard, Marc Tarpenning
- Headquarters
- Austin, Texas, USA
- Owned By
- Publicly Traded
- Current CEO
- Elon Musk
The new investigation covers 2016-2024 Model S and Model X vehicles as well as 2017-2024 Model 3, 2024 Model Y, and 2023-2024 Cybertruck models. That’s an estimated 2.4 million vehicles.
Investigation Follows Fatal Crash
A preliminary evaluation has been started so that NHTSA investigators can assess the FSD system’s ability to detect and respond to reduced visibility conditions. They are also looking to see if any other crashes that occurred while FSD was in use were related to reduced visibility. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened the defect investigation last week after it said it had identified four reports of Tesla crashes while FSD was engaged. The NHTSA said all four happened during times of reduced visibility, including sun glare, fog, and dust. One crash had a reported injury, and one saw a pedestrian struck and killed.
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This isn’t the first investigation into FSD or Tesla’s other advanced driving assistance features, nor is it the only one currently open. The first happened in 2021 after reports of hundreds of collisions and 13 fatalities involving Autopilot. That investigation found customers were expecting a system that could pilot the car itself, not a system that required hands-on and the driver’s full attention.
Tesla May Not Have Addressed The Issue With Its Previous Fix
The recall solution to that issue rolled out in December 2023. Tesla added safeguards through a software update to encourage the driver to pay attention and use the system properly. An investigation was opened in April 2024 to determine whether the changes made in the recall went far enough. The NHTSA showed multiple concerns about system operation even after the update was implemented, including that the update could be ignored and even reversed by the vehicle’s owner.
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A recall in February 2023 addressed reports of FSD allowing the vehicle “to act unsafe around intersections,” according to NHTSA documents. This included traveling through intersections while in turning lanes and entering stop-sign-controlled intersections without coming to a stop. A preliminary evaluation is just the first step in the safety recall process. If the evaluation deems there to be a safety concern, the process upgrades to an engineering analysis. That’s the last step before a recall, and may or may not lead to a finding that a recall is necessary.
News Summary:
- Feds Risk Turning Tesla’s Self-Driving Dreams Into A Nightmare
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