Feds intensify investigation into Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has escalated its investigation into Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software, focusing on its performance in low-visibility conditions. This move marks an upgrade to an "engineering analysis," the agency's most in-depth level of examination, which typically precedes a potential recall directive. This investigation is one of two active probes the NHTSA is conducting regarding Tesla's driver-assistance technology. The agency is also examining over 80 instances where the software allegedly breached fundamental traffic safety regulations, including incidents of running red lights. These inquiries come as Tesla aims to launch a robotaxi service in Austin, Texas. The NHTSA initiated this particular investigation following four reported accidents in low-visibility scenarios, one of which tragically resulted in a pedestrian fatality. Over the past 18 months, the agency has been in communication with Tesla, uncovering additional cases where the driving software has fallen short in poor visibility conditions. However, the NHTSA expressed concerns about not receiving all requested information from Tesla. Although Tesla began working on a software update in June 2024 to address these low-visibility issues, the company has not confirmed whether this update has been implemented or which specific vehicles were affected. The NHTSA also highlighted worries about potential under-reporting of similar accidents, attributed to limitations in Tesla's data collection and labeling practices. According to the agency, in the reviewed crashes, the system failed to recognize common roadway conditions that hindered camera visibility and did not provide timely alerts to drivers when camera performance diminished. In these incidents, the Full Self-Driving software either lost track of or failed to detect a vehicle in its path, raising significant safety concerns. This situation continues to evolve, and further updates are anticipated as the investigation progresses.