Tesla Must Supply NHTSA More Data on Its Driver Assistance Systems
Friday, July 7th, 2023 AutoTesla is under scrutiny by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding the safety of its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) systems. The NHTSA has demanded that Tesla provide additional data related to these systems or face significant fines.
Both Tesla’s Autopilot and FSD systems have been involved in various accidents, including fatal incidents. The NHTSA aims to investigate whether these crashes occurred due to faulty technology, driver error, or other causes.
The federal agency has set a deadline of July 19 for Tesla to submit the requested data. Failure to provide the requested information could lead to substantial fines for Tesla. According to the NHTSA, the company may face civil penalties of up to $26,315 per violation per day.
The NHTSA began investigating Autopilot safety in 2021 after a series of accidents involving Tesla vehicles colliding with stationary vehicles and road work vehicles. It is crucial to note that Tesla’s driver assistance systems are not autonomous, and their vehicles require a driver to be present behind the wheel. Autopilot and FSD systems only operate under limited circumstances, controlling braking, steering, and acceleration.
The NHTSA has requested detailed information regarding the software, hardware, and other components installed in each Tesla vehicle sold, leased, or in use in the U.S. from model years 2014 to 2023. The agency is also seeking the date when any Tesla vehicle was admitted into the "Full-Self Driving beta" program, which involves customer testing of partially developed features. Unlike traditional industry practices of relying on professional safety drivers, Tesla utilizes its customers as software and vehicle safety testers through its FSD Beta program.
As the investigation unfolds, the focus remains on addressing concerns surrounding Tesla’s driver assistance technologies and ensuring the safety of both Tesla drivers and the general public.
