U.S. Regulators Launch Formal Investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot System

Shares of Tesla have been dragging on the news that the company’s Autopilot system is being investigated formally by U.S. regulators.

Tesla’s Autopilot system is a limited self-driving feature that still requires a human to operate. When engaged, the system allows drivers to maintain speed and lane centering but does not make the vehicle safe to operate without a driver behind the wheel. Drivers must still identify roadway obstacles and maneuvers from nearby vehicles.

Federal vehicle safety regulators have launched a formal investigation into the Autopilot system following a series of fatal crashes that have left at least 17 people injured and 1 dead. This is according to documents that have been filed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Since January 2018, the NHTSA said it had identified 11 crashes where Tesla vehicles have “encountered first responder scenes and subsequently struck one or more vehicles.” The report, which was posted Monday, covers an estimated 765,000 Tesla vehicles across models built between 2014 and 2021.

There have been several probes into Tesla’s Autopilot, including an investigation in March after a Model Y using the system reportedly struck a stationary police car.

“Most incidents took place after dark and the crash scenes encountered included scene control measures such as first responder vehicle lights, flares, an illuminated arrow board, and road
cones,” the document from the NHTSA reads.

“The involved subject vehicles were all confirmed to have been engaged in either Autopilot or Traffic Aware Cruise Control during the approach to the crashes.”

Tesla shares closed down 4.32% on Monday after the NHTSA announcement.

Disclaimer: We have no position in any of the companies mentioned and have not been compensated for this article.