Tesla’s Autopilot technology is under intense scrutiny as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigates the adequacy of Tesla’s recall of over 2 million vehicles. The recall was initiated in December to address safety concerns and install new safeguards within the Autopilot system.
The NHTSA’s decision to probe the recall effectiveness comes after receiving reports of 20 crashes involving vehicles that had undergone the Autopilot software updates as part of Tesla’s recall initiative. This raises questions about the effectiveness of the recall and the safety of Tesla’s Autopilot technology.
The NHTSA also concluded a nearly three-year-long investigation into Autopilot defects on the same day. The investigation highlighted a critical safety gap due to Tesla’s inadequate driver engagement system for the permissive operational capabilities of Autopilot. The agency found that at least 13 Tesla crashes, including fatalities and serious injuries, were linked to driver misuse of the Autopilot system.
One loophole in Tesla’s recall strategy is that drivers can easily reverse the software update, undermining the efforts to address safety concerns. The ongoing investigation now covers various Tesla models produced between 2012 and 2024, including the Y, X, S, 3, and Cybertruck.
The NHTSA has expressed concerns over gaps in Tesla’s crash data reporting, as the automaker primarily relies on telematic data from crashes involving airbag deployments, which represent only a fraction of police-reported accidents. U.S. Senators Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal have urged the NHTSA to restrict the use of Autopilot on roads where it is not intended to prevent potential safety hazards.
Consumer Reports, a nonprofit research organization, has echoed the NHTSA’s concerns, stating that Tesla’s recall updates failed to adequately address safety issues. They have urged the agency to mandate stronger measures.
Since 2016, the NHTSA has initiated over 40 special crash investigations involving Tesla vehicles, particularly focusing on instances where driver-assist systems like Autopilot were suspected to be involved. There have been 23 crash fatalities reported in these investigations. Tesla has made efforts to address safety concerns by enhancing visual alerts, disengaging Autosteer if drivers fail to respond to warnings, and implementing additional checks upon Autosteer activation.
In a related development, Tesla disclosed that the U.S. Justice Department had issued subpoenas concerning its Full Self-Driving (FSD) and Autopilot technologies. This follows a previous report suggesting Tesla’s involvement in a criminal investigation.
Overall, the ongoing scrutiny of Tesla’s Autopilot technology raises significant concerns about its safety and effectiveness. The NHTSA’s investigation into the adequacy of the recall and the numerous crash investigations highlight the need for stronger measures to ensure the safety of Tesla’s vehicles.
