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Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Feature Under Federal Investigation
Tesla has gained significant attention for its Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature, which offers functionalities such as automatic parking, lane changing, and steering assistance for city driving as part of an $8,000 package. Although the FSD feature has garnered considerable popularity among users, recent revelations indicate that the safety of this system is now under scrutiny by federal authorities.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated a preliminary investigation into approximately 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD, specifically focusing on models such as the Model 3 and Model Y, which ranked among the top-selling electric vehicles in the United States last year. This investigation emerges following four notable crashes involving Tesla cars, including one resulting in a fatality and another causing injuries.
The circumstances of these incidents were highlighted in an NHTSA report, which indicated that low visibility conditions, such as sun glare and fog, hampered the FSD system’s operation. The ongoing investigation will assess how effectively FSD can navigate low visibility scenarios, examine if similar crashes have occurred under comparable conditions, and evaluate whether Tesla has implemented any updates to enhance the safety of the FSD feature.
The timing of the NHTSA investigation coincides closely with Tesla’s recent event that showcased advancements toward their vision of robotaxis—vehicles intended to operate with full autonomy. However, Tesla also acknowledges that achieving complete self-driving capability poses significant challenges.
“Full autonomy will be dependent on achieving reliability far in excess of human drivers, as demonstrated by billions of miles of experience, as well as regulatory approval, which may take longer in some jurisdictions,” Tesla stated on its website, outlining the complexities involved in reaching that goal.
Despite these challenges, Tesla continues to dominate the electric vehicle market, reporting the sale of over 1.8 million vehicles in 2023. The company’s latest earnings report also revealed that it delivered nearly half a million cars in the third quarter, marking a 6% increase in deliveries compared to the previous year.
As Tesla navigates the concerns surrounding its FSD functionality, the outcome of the NHTSA investigation could have significant implications for its strategies moving forward in the autonomous vehicle sector.
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