Investigation Threatens Tesla Empire

White Tesla cars displayed in showroom with Tesla sign
Investigation Threatens Tesla Empire

Federal regulators have launched another investigation into Tesla’s self-driving technology after 58 incidents where cars violated traffic laws, ran red lights, and crashed while using the company’s Full Self-Driving mode, raising serious questions about public safety and corporate accountability.

Story Snapshot

  • NHTSA is investigating 58 incidents involving Tesla’s Full Self-Driving mode that led to crashes, fires, and nearly two dozen injuries.
  • Investigation covers 2.9 million vehicles, essentially all Teslas equipped with FSD technology.
  • Multiple ongoing federal probes threaten Musk’s ambitious driverless taxi rollout plans.
  • Tesla faces a $240 million jury verdict for a deadly Autopilot crash while its stock continues to decline.

Federal Safety Agency Targets Dangerous Tesla Technology

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a comprehensive investigation into Tesla’s Full Self-Driving technology after documenting 58 incidents where vehicles violated basic traffic safety laws.

These incidents involved cars running red lights, driving on the wrong sides of roads, and crashing into other vehicles while supposedly operating under computer control. The probe encompasses 2.9 million vehicles, representing nearly every Tesla equipped with FSD capabilities, highlighting the massive scope of potential safety risks on American roads.

Pattern of Reckless Disregard for Driver Safety

Tesla’s troubled track record extends far beyond this latest investigation. NHTSA previously launched probes into 2.4 million Teslas following crashes in low-visibility conditions, including a fatal pedestrian strike.

The agency also investigated Tesla’s “summon” technology after parking lot accidents and launched another probe regarding the company’s failure to promptly report crashes as legally required. This pattern reveals systematic problems with Tesla’s approach to vehicle safety and regulatory compliance.

A Miami jury delivered a crushing blow to Tesla’s credibility in August, finding the company partly responsible for a deadly 2019 Autopilot crash and ordering $240 million in damages. The verdict demonstrates that courts are holding Tesla accountable for marketing dangerous technology as reliable, even though it clearly poses significant risks to drivers and innocent bystanders.

Tesla’s attempt to appeal shows the company’s unwillingness to accept responsibility for its defective products.

Misleading Marketing Puts American Families at Risk

Industry experts and former Tesla supporters are demanding the company stop using the deceptive “Full Self-Driving” name that lulls drivers into false confidence. Money manager Ross Gerber, once a Tesla believer, now calls the global rollout “a giant testing ground for Elon’s concept” that simply isn’t working.

The vision-only camera system requires supplementation with radar sensors and additional hardware to function safely, yet Tesla refuses to acknowledge these fundamental limitations.

Regulators found that Tesla drivers involved in accidents received no warning about their vehicles’ dangerous behavior, leaving families vulnerable to sudden mechanical failures. This represents a clear violation of the basic consumer protection principle that Americans deserve reliable, safe transportation.

The company’s Level 2 driver-assistance classification requires constant human attention, contradicting the “self-driving” marketing that encourages driver complacency and creates deadly situations.

Corporate Arrogance Threatens Public Safety

Tesla continues promoting ambitious plans for hundreds of thousands of driverless taxis by 2026 despite overwhelming evidence that the technology remains fundamentally flawed. This reckless timeline prioritizes corporate profits over public safety, forcing American families to share roads with vehicles that cannot reliably follow basic traffic laws.

The company’s refusal to acknowledge software limitations or implement necessary hardware improvements demonstrates dangerous corporate arrogance that puts innocent lives at risk.