The United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) started a new investigation into the system Autopilot of Tesla, after the company led by Elon Musk recalled more than 2 million vehicles in December, which has raised questions about whether the measures taken are sufficient to guarantee the safety of drivers.
The automobile recall included Model Y, X, S, 3 and Cybertruck equipped with Autopilot from model years 2012 through 2024, seeks to ensure that drivers pay attention while using this advanced driver assistance system.
“tesla said in December that the software system Autopilot ‘may not be sufficient to prevent misuse by the driver’ and could increase the risk of an accident,” as detailed in the investigation, which arose after the identification of at least 13 accidents involving their vehicles, involving one or more deaths and numerous serious injuries, where “foreseeable misuse of the system by the driver played an apparent role.”
The company, which in December faced the largest auto recall in its history, covering 2.03 million vehicles in the United States – virtually all of its vehicles on American roads – issued software updates that attempt to address the issues identified by the company. NHTSA.
However, it has been noted that these measures are not “part of the recall or otherwise determined to remedy a defect that poses an unreasonable safety risk.”
The manufacturer did not limit the system’s operation to situations for which it was designed, despite criticism from the agency and other experts suggesting it would be a more effective solution. In response to initial concerns, the Musk-led company announced “an increase in the prominence of visual alerts and the deactivation of autosteer if drivers do not respond to inattention warnings and additional controls by activating the system.” The company even stated that it would restrict the use of Autopilot for one week if significant misuse is detected.
The new research of the NHTSA also questioned the name “Autopilot,” arguing that “it may lead drivers to believe that the automation has greater capabilities than it actually possesses and invite drivers to trust the automation too much.” This detail highlighted the ongoing concern about how the marketing of tesla could be influencing the perception and safe use of its advanced driver assistance technologies.
In this context of regulatory scrutiny, the company also faces a series of legal lawsuits alleging that the company exaggerated the true capabilities of its technology. Autopilot and created a false sense of security for drivers who died or were seriously injured in accidents. Throughout his investigation, which NHTSA remained open even after the vehicle recall, the agency reviewed more than 900 accidents involving the system.
Despite current challenges, including an earnings report this week that showed a steeper-than-expected 55% drop in profits, due to lagging sales and increased competition, Elon Musk continues to bet on autonomous driving. Recently, he promised to reveal a robotaxi fully autonomous in August, underlining the company’s ambition to lead in this revolutionary field.
