Investigation into Full Self-Driving System
Federal safety officials have granted Tesla an additional five weeks to respond to inquiries regarding its vehicles' instances of breaking traffic rules while operating with the company's automated driving system. The electric carmaker had requested this extension from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) earlier in the week.
The agency initiated its examination of what Tesla refers to as Full Self-Driving (FSD) in October. At that time, regulators highlighted numerous cases where Tesla vehicles had reportedly run red lights, traveled in the wrong direction on roads, or committed other serious driving errors.
Last month, NHTSA formally sent Tesla a comprehensive list of questions. The agency sought to ascertain the number of customer complaints, damage claims, legal disputes, and lawsuits potentially linked to these issues. On January 12, Tesla informed regulators of its need for extra time to thoroughly review reports concerning traffic violations that could be relevant to the ongoing investigation.
Extensive Data Review Required
In its communication, Tesla stated, "As of today, there are 8,313 records remaining that require manual review." The company indicated that its team is capable of processing approximately 300 records per day. The newly established deadline for Tesla's response is February 23.
The successful deployment and performance of FSD are increasingly critical for Tesla. CEO Elon Musk is reportedly relying on this technology to stimulate sales, following two consecutive years of declining vehicle deliveries. Musk frequently emphasizes the effectiveness of Tesla's driving assistance features. However, California officials have voiced skepticism, asserting that the company may be overstating the capabilities of its vehicles. The state has previously warned of a potential 30-day ban on Tesla sales, a penalty that could be implemented early this year.
In addition to the traffic violation probe, NHTSA is also investigating whether Tesla vehicles can adequately detect and respond to challenging visibility conditions such as bright sunlight, fog, and other environmental factors that impair sight. This separate investigation commenced in October 2024, subsequent to several accidents, including one that resulted in a fatality.
In its formal request for an extended timeline, Tesla cited being overwhelmed by the volume of questions posed by regulatory authorities.
The company articulated in its extension filing, as reported by Bloomberg, that "Dealing with three big information requests at nearly the same time is unduly burdensome and affects the quality of responses."
Future Extension and Related Legislative Action
Tesla has also indicated its intention to seek further extensions in the future. Once the company completes its compilation of traffic violation reports and provides its analysis of the contributing factors, it plans to request additional time to conduct more in-depth reviews of each individual complaint.
This deeper analysis would encompass specific details such as the version of the FSD software in use during an incident, whether drivers received any warnings prior to violations, and if any crashes, injuries, or fatalities were reported in connection with the event.
NHTSA has requested timelines detailing the sequence of events for each incident, starting 30 seconds before the initial traffic violation and concluding when a driver regained manual control, a final violation occurred, or a crash took place.
Meanwhile, a member of Congress is advocating for new regulations concerning vehicle doors. Representative Robin Kelly, a Democrat representing Illinois, has introduced legislation that would mandate car manufacturers to incorporate manual door release mechanisms in new vehicles. This proposed measure specifically targets the electric door systems that Tesla has popularized.
Under the proposed legislation, vehicles equipped with electric doors would be required to feature a clearly marked mechanical latch that is both "intuitive to use and readily accessible for the occupant." The bill also stipulates that vehicles must include provisions for emergency personnel to gain access in the event of a power failure.
Representative Kelly introduced the bill last week, marking the first instance of congressional action addressing concerns surrounding electric car doors. There have been multiple reports of individuals suffering severe injuries or fatalities after becoming trapped inside vehicles when their powered doors failed to open.