The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is increasing its scrutiny of Tesla's (TSLA, Financial) Robotaxi initiative. As part of an ongoing investigation into Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, NHTSA has sent a questionnaire to Tesla. The focus is to understand the performance of FSD under challenging conditions like fog, rain, and glare, and to inquire about Tesla's plans for safe on-road testing of its Robotaxi.
The investigation commenced in October 2024 following four accidents involving the FSD system in low-visibility scenarios. Although Tesla's FSD currently requires drivers to remain alert with hands on the wheel, CEO Elon Musk has indicated that an upcoming version of the Robotaxi will feature fully autonomous driving without human supervision.
The regulatory body seeks to confirm whether the new system is identical to the current road-ready version. Additionally, inquiries include the scale of vehicle deployment, operational areas, and Tesla's safety validation methods.
