Tesla Faces Regulatory Challenge As NHTSA Investigates Full Self-Driving Software After Fatal Collision

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced on Friday that it has initiated an investigation into Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software.

This decision follows reports of four collisions, including one fatal incident, involving the driver-assistance technology in low-visibility conditions.

The preliminary investigation would examine approximately 2.4 million Tesla vehicles, representing a significant portion of the electric automaker’s fleet on U.S. roads.

The inquiry poses a potential challenge for Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who is shifting the company’s focus towards self-driving technology and robotaxis in response to increasing competition and sluggish demand in its automotive business.

The NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation will specifically evaluate FSD’s capability to detect and appropriately respond to reduced visibility conditions, among other concerns.

In a related development, Musk recently unveiled Tesla’s “Cybercab,” a two-seater, two-door robotaxi concept designed without a steering wheel or pedals.

This vehicle would rely on cameras and artificial intelligence to navigate the roads. While Tesla’s FSD technology aims for high automation—allowing vehicles to perform most driving tasks without human intervention—it has faced scrutiny due to at least two fatal accidents involving the technology.

Industry experts have raised concerns regarding Tesla’s reliance on a “camera-only” approach for its partially and fully autonomous driving systems.

They suggest this method could lead to problems in low-visibility conditions, as Tesla vehicles lack additional backup sensors.

Vice president at GlobalData, Jeff Schuster, said, “Weather conditions can impact the camera’s ability to see things, and I think the regulatory environment will certainly weigh in on this.

That could be one of the major roadblocks in what I would call a near-term launch of this technology and these products.”

In contrast, Tesla’s competitors that operate robotaxis often utilise more expensive sensors, such as lidar and radar, to better detect driving environments.

This investigation came on the heels of Tesla’s December recall of over 2 million vehicles in the U.S. to implement new safeguards in its Autopilot advanced driver-assistance system, following safety concerns raised by the NHTSA.

Boluwatife Enome

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