The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has ramped up its investigation into Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, specifically in low-visibility situations. As of Thursday, the investigation, which began in October 2024, has progressed to an “engineering analysis,” indicating a deeper level of examination that often precedes potential recalls.
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is conducting this inquiry alongside another probe that scrutinises over 80 incidents where Tesla’s driver-assistance technology has breached fundamental traffic laws, including instances of running red lights. This escalation in scrutiny for Tesla occurs amidst the company’s ongoing efforts to launch a robotaxi service in Austin, Texas.
The initial investigation was prompted by four crashes in low-visibility conditions, one resulting in a pedestrian’s death. For the past year and a half, the NHTSA has been in communication with Tesla, uncovering additional cases where the FSD software struggled in similar conditions.
Further complicating the situation, the ODI reported experiencing challenges in obtaining comprehensive information from Tesla. Although the automaker began working on a software update in June 2024 to address these low-visibility issues prior to the investigation’s initiation, it has failed to confirm whether this update was implemented or which specific vehicles might have benefited from it.
Moreover, the ODI expressed concerns about the possibility of underreported incidents related to visibility challenges, stemming from limitations in how Tesla collects and labels data. The agency’s review revealed that in various crashes, the FSD system did not effectively detect adverse roadway conditions that impeded camera visibility. Alerts regarding deteriorating camera performance were often issued only moments before a crash occurred.
In these incidents, the FSD system either lost track of or failed to identify lead vehicles in its path, raising serious questions about the reliability of Tesla’s autonomous driving capabilities under less-than-ideal weather conditions.
As this investigation unfolds, it highlights the significant scrutiny facing Tesla and underscores the importance of ensuring that autonomous vehicle technologies are safe and reliable, particularly as the company aims to expand its services in the rapidly evolving landscape of self-driving cars.
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