Tesla's Autopilot Attracts Regulatory Ire, Again: Report

U.S. auto safety regulators questioned Tesla Inc TSLA over its in-car camera to monitor driver awareness, Reuters reports.
The interrogation was a part of a probe into 830,000 Tesla vehicles that employ the carmaker's advanced driver assistance system called Autopilot.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) evaluated the Autopilot after identifying several accidents in which Tesla vehicles struck stopped emergency vehicles.
The NHTSA upgraded its probe to an engineering analysis in June, which could lead to a recall.
NHTSA sought information on the cabin camera's "impact on driver engagement alert types and timing" and "recoverable data elements pointing to its influence."
NHTSA said in June that evidence suggested drivers in most crashes under review had complied with Tesla's alert strategy, questioning its effectiveness.
In 2021, Consumer Reports found it inadequate to ensure that the driver fully paid attention when using Autopilot and Full Self Driving (FSD) features.
In June, Consumer Reports said Tesla had installed an over-the-air update that issued a warning when the camera is covered while FSD is engaged, but not with Autopilot.
Autopilot helps cars to steer, accelerate and brake automatically within their lane, while FSD enables vehicles to obey traffic signals and make lane changes.
NHTSA launched 38 special investigations since 2016 of crashes involving Tesla vehicles, Autopilot, and other advanced systems involving 19 deaths.
Since last June, Tesla electric vehicles have accounted for nearly 70% of crashes involving advanced driver-assist systems.
Tesla's Autopilot is a subject of focus and on the Federal Trade Commission's radar.
Price Action: TSLA shares traded lower by 1.45% at $895.45 in the premarket on the last check Friday.
Photo by Blomst via Pixabay

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