Tesla, the electric vehicle manufacturer, is facing trouble once again with the federal government. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has taken note of a new version of Tesla’s Autopilot, an advanced driver-assist feature that allows drivers to operate their vehicles without applying torque to the steering wheel. This feature has long been desired by Tesla drivers and is also used by several other automakers. However, NHTSA has expressed concerns about the safety implications of this feature and has ordered Tesla to respond to a list of questions or potentially face fines.
In a letter dated July 26th, NHTSA ordered Tesla to provide answers to a series of questions about the Autopilot feature, setting a deadline of August 25th for the company’s response. It is unclear whether Tesla has complied with this order. Failure to respond may result in escalating fines for the company. This latest development adds to ongoing investigations into Tesla’s Autopilot system, including a two-year investigation into over a dozen incidents involving Tesla vehicles with Autopilot crashing into stationary emergency vehicles.
NHTSA is particularly concerned about any feature that allows drivers to remove their hands from the steering wheel without sufficient driver monitoring. The agency believes that this could pose a safety risk, leading to driver inattention and a failure to properly supervise the Autopilot system. The letter from NHTSA states that the agency is worried that now that the public is aware of this feature, more drivers may attempt to activate it, leading to a relaxation of controls designed to ensure driver engagement in the driving task.
The investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot feature is not the only one that NHTSA is conducting. The agency is also looking into issues with Tesla’s seatbelts, steering wheels, and “phantom braking” incidents triggered by the driver assist system. This indicates that NHTSA has broader concerns about the overall safety of Tesla vehicles and their various features.
Tesla’s driver handbook explicitly warns drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel while using driver-assist features like Autopilot and Full Self-Driving. If drivers fail to keep their hands on the wheel for an extended period of time, the system issues audio alerts to prompt them to take control. Some Tesla owners find these alerts annoying and have expressed a desire for a truly hands-free system, similar to Ford’s BlueCruise or General Motors’ Super Cruise. These systems utilize robust driver monitoring systems, including cameras and other sensors, to ensure that drivers keep their eyes on the road. Additionally, they are limited to certain roads, such as divided highways. In contrast, Tesla allows customers to use Full Self-Driving on local roads but still requires their hands to remain on the steering wheel.
Earlier this year, a hacker discovered a version of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system that does not require drivers to apply force to the steering wheel while using it. This version, referred to as “Elon Mode” by the hacker, gained attention when Elon Musk himself appeared to be using a similar hands-free version of Full Self-Driving. It is unclear whether NHTSA’s concerns in the letter are related to this specific version of Full Self-Driving.
In conclusion, Tesla is facing scrutiny from the federal government due to the deployment of a new version of its Autopilot feature that allows hands-free operation of the vehicle. NHTSA is concerned about the safety implications of this feature and has ordered Tesla to respond to a series of questions or face potential fines. This adds to the ongoing investigations into Tesla’s Autopilot system and other vehicle features. The agency’s concerns highlight the need for robust driver monitoring systems in autonomous driving technologies to ensure driver engagement and safety.
