(Credit: Tesla)
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into how Tesla's automated driving software performs in low visibility conditions.
The NHTSA combed through prior collision reports and identified four that occurred in fog, sun glare, or dust while Full Self-Driving (FSD) was engaged. FSD not actually a fully automated system; it still requires a steering wheel and the driver's full attention.
One crash of the crashes resulted in the vehicle striking and killing a pedestrian. Another caused an injury. The inquiry encompasses nearly all Teslas that have FSD, or 2.4 million vehicles from model year 2016 to 2024, in what could be the first step toward a formal recall, according to Electrek.
Tesla drivers can purchase FSD as an over-the-air software upgrade for $8,000 in the US or $199/month. All models are FSD compatible, including the Cybertruck as of last month.
The NHTSA will be looking into a few core areas, including whether FSD can "detect and respond appropriately to reduced roadway visibility conditions." It will also be looking for additional crashes that occurred in reduced visibility, and if any of Tesla's recent system updates are hindering performance.
The report comes a week after Tesla held a splashy reveal event for its Cybercab "robotaxi", where CEO Elon Musk painted a rosy image of a "glorious future" where "you can fall asleep and wake up at your destination," according to CBS.
Tesla denies its self-driving system is a risk to the public. In a lengthy rebuke of a 2023 Washington Post article, the company said it is "morally indefensible to not make these systems available to a wider set of consumers, given the incontrovertible data that show s it is saving lives and preventing injury." That's citing Tesla internal data on a reduced number of collisions with FSD engaged.
FSD has been involved in multiple crashes over the years, including another deadly crash in 2018. Tesla ultimately agreed to settle that case rather than continuing to argue its system did not play a role. In another fatal crash in 2019, the NHTSA confirmed Tesla's Autopilot had been engaged just 10 seconds prior to the collision.