The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has escalated its investigation into Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software due to concerns over its performance in low-visibility scenarios. This move follows the discovery of multiple incidents where Tesla’s driving software struggled in challenging conditions.
Originally initiated in October 2024, the probe has now advanced to an ‘engineering analysis,’ indicating heightened scrutiny by the NHTSA. This development typically precedes potential recall requests to address identified safety issues.
Of the two ongoing investigations into Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software, over 80 instances are being examined where the software allegedly violated traffic safety regulations, such as running red lights. These investigations coincide with Tesla’s efforts to launch a robotaxi service in Austin, Texas.
The NHTSA’s investigation was prompted by four crashes in low-visibility situations, one of which resulted in a pedestrian fatality. Despite Tesla’s efforts to address these issues with an update starting in June 2024, questions remain about the deployment of the fix and the affected vehicles. Concerns also exist regarding potential under-reporting of similar incidents due to data collection and labeling challenges.
Source: TechCrunch