Vehicles from the manufacturer Tesla support drivers with numerous information and help systems. Tesla boss Musk always points out that there can be no talk of fully autonomous driving, but the US judiciary is now assuming that the wrong picture is being created for drivers. They felt too safe.
The electric car manufacturer Tesla is the target of investigations by the US Department of Justice because of its driver assistance systems. Tesla said in an IPO document that the Justice Department has requested documents from the company regarding its autopilot and autonomous driving systems. According to media reports, the ministry is checking whether Tesla’s information on the reliability of the systems is giving drivers a false sense of security.
Tesla boss Elon Musk has repeatedly asserted that it is only a small step to a fully autonomous car. So far, however, Teslas have only offered driver assistance systems that help, for example, when changing lanes and identifying stop signs.
Tesla itself describes its systems as “Autopilot”, “Enhanced Autopilot Functionality” and “Full potential for autonomous driving”. The carmaker writes on its website that the systems are “intended for an attentive driver who keeps his hands on the steering wheel and can take over at any time”.
Several US authorities have accused Tesla of misleading consumers. The Californian vehicle authority DMV sued Tesla last year for allegations that its driver assistance systems were better than they actually are. Meanwhile, the US Transportation Safety Administration NHTSA is investigating several incidents involving Teslas with autopilot. Tesla wrote in the exchange document that, to the company’s knowledge, no authority has come to the conclusion that there has been any misconduct in the course of ongoing investigations.
