The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating whether Tesla’s recall of its Autopilot driving system last year was effective in ensuring that drivers pay attention to the road. The recall involved more than 2 million vehicles, but the agency has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the remedy, citing 20 more crashes involving Autopilot since the recall. The recall fix included an online software update to increase warnings to drivers, but the agency has found evidence of crashes after the fix and additional software updates that may not have worked.
The agency is evaluating the recall, including the controls of Autopilot to address misuse, confusion, and use in areas that the system is not designed to handle. Safety advocates have expressed concerns about Autopilot’s capabilities, as it was not designed to operate on roads other than limited-access highways. The investigation was launched after a recent incident where a Tesla operating on Autopilot hit and killed a motorcyclist near Seattle, raising questions about the effectiveness of the recall in ensuring that Tesla drivers using Autopilot pay attention to the road.
The recall last year was initiated after NHTSA found that Tesla’s driver monitoring system was defective. Tesla agreed to the recall, which involved sending alerts to drivers if it fails to detect torque from hands on the steering wheel, a system experts describe as ineffective. The investigation also found that Tesla does not limit the use of Autopilot to specific areas, relying on computers to determine whether the system can be engaged, rather than maps showing a vehicle’s location.
NHTSA has ended its investigation of Autopilot, citing the recall and its effectiveness, but concerns remain about whether the technology is advanced enough to ensure safe driving. Tesla offers two partially automated systems, Autopilot and “Full Self Driving,” but the company maintains that neither can truly drive themselves despite their names. CEO Elon Musk has been touting self-driving vehicles as a growth catalyst for the company, but delays in the development of autonomous technology have raised questions about the safety and reliability of Tesla’s systems.
The investigation by NHTSA into the crashes involving Autopilot and the recall fix aims to determine whether Tesla’s measures are adequate to ensure driver safety. The agency may seek civil fines and additional fixes from Tesla based on its findings. Tesla has been promoting the capabilities of its self-driving technology, but concerns about crashes and fatalities involving Autopilot continue to raise questions about the effectiveness of the system. It remains to be seen how Tesla will address these issues and improve the safety of its vehicles in the future.
