Tesla ordered by regulators to address new issue over Autopilot
Tesla is facing increased scrutiny from federal regulators over its driver-assistance system known as Autopilot, with the electric-car maker being the target of a “special order” amid concerns about a possible work-around of monitoring meant to keep drivers’ hands on the wheel.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a letter posted to the agency’s website on Tuesday that it has become aware that Tesla has “introduced an Autopilot configuration that, when enabled, allows drivers using Autopilot to operate their vehicles for extended periods without Autopilot prompting the driver to apply torque to the steering wheel.”
A leak of internal Tesla files reportedly reveals thousands of customers complaining about Autopilot safety, according to a newspaper article.
The agency’s letter, which was dated July 26, asked Tesla to respond by Aug. 25 to address the possibility the feature could be used to subvert efforts to keep drivers alert and ready to resume full control of the vehicle.
NHTSA confirmed in a second document posted Tuesday that the Elon Musk-led company submitted a confidential reply in time to meet that deadline. Tesla had no immediate response to a request for comment.
Tesla shares rose 7.7% Tuesday in New York, the most since March. The stock has more than doubled so far this year.
Tesla’s website notes that the Autopilot software is “intended for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment.”
Tesla is under investigation by the California attorney general’s office due to complaints about the safety of its Autopilot program, according to a CNBC report.
The regulator’s letter about the software configuration comes after a June CNBC report about an Autopilot setting that allows drivers to keep their hands off the wheel for an extended period, what one online security researcher dubbed “Elon mode.”
The Autopilot probe, which NHTSA launched in 2021, is among a series of investigations targeting Tesla, its products and its chief executive, Musk. Federal regulators are looking into possible problems with Tesla’s seat belts, steering wheels and driver-assistance features.
The investigation was launched after almost a dozen collisions involving first-responder vehicles and Tesla models that are believed to have had Autopilot software engaged.
Tesla has long said its driver-assistance software is not a substitute for a driver and that “currently enabled features do not make the vehicle autonomous.” But safety advocates criticize the company’s marketing of the system under the name “Autopilot” as misleading.
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