The "Te Ma" combination is clearing regulatory obstacles for Tesla

The regulatory relaxation strategy of the "Tesla-Trump" combination is quietly rewriting the rules of the game in the American automotive industry.

Elon Musk has long expressed dissatisfaction with the U.S. government, believing that numerous federal investigations and safety programs hinder the development of his electric vehicle company, Tesla, as well as his vision for autonomous vehicles and robotaxi fleets.

However, as his close relationship with Trump escalates, the federal investigations and safety reviews facing Tesla may see a dramatic turnaround. According to a report by the Associated Press on the 11th, the Trump administration is reshaping the regulatory framework from multiple angles: First, by controlling key agencies such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) through personnel appointments; second, by abolishing regulatory measures of an executive order nature; and finally, by promoting the formulation of federal autonomous driving regulations—exactly the direction Musk has publicly called for.

It is worth mentioning that previously, DOGE pressured the U.S. government to cancel its subscription service with the Associated Press. Some analysts believe that Trump's actions will benefit Tesla in the short term, and while the impact on Tesla may be small, it could be devastating for competitors. Wall Street technology and automotive industry analyst Daniel Ives pointed out:

“Trump's victory and the 'chemistry' between the two will fundamentally change the regulatory environment that suppresses Tesla.”

Investigations into Tesla under the "Tesla-Trump" combination may be withdrawn

“Musk wants to take control of the Department of Transportation,” said Missy Cummings, a former senior safety advisor at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. She noted that several investigations currently underway against Tesla may be terminated as a result.

Currently, Tesla is facing multiple federal investigations, which mainly include:

1. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is conducting six investigations into Tesla's autonomous driving technology;
2. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Department of Justice are investigating whether Musk exaggerated the vehicle's autonomous driving capabilities;
3. The Department of Justice is also investigating whether Tesla misled customers about the range of its electric vehicles;
4. The government is requiring reports on accident data involving vehicles using technologies like Autopilot;
5. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is reviewing 12 unfair labor practice claims made by Tesla factory workers;
6. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is requesting a judge to compel Tesla to reform and pay compensation to Black employees who claim to have been racially attacked.

The Associated Press pointed out that most of these investigations rely on executive orders rather than congressional legislation, making them all potentially subject to termination by the Trump administration. Former federal prosecutor Peter Zeidenberg analyzed:

“The Department of Justice will never prosecute Musk; all investigations could come to a sudden halt.”

Trump's transition team has suggested canceling the federal order requiring automakers to report collision data involving autonomous driving technology. He has also fired dozens of prosecutors handling the Capitol riot cases and replaced Democratic members of the National Labor Relations Board and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to pave the way for regulatory intervention However, the relationship between Tesla and the government is complex: SpaceX has received nearly $20 billion in federal contracts since 2008, and Tesla has also earned $41.9 million through embassy procurement. After Trump returned to the White House, Musk became his largest donor with a political contribution of $270 million and was appointed as the head of DOGE, directly participating in reducing government regulation and spending.

This contradiction is vividly reflected in the stock price: Tesla's stock surged 60% after Trump's victory, and although it later corrected, it is still 40% higher than before the election.

"Betting on Trump is Musk's historic gamble," Ives commented. Musk's declaration on the X platform—“Canceling subsidies will only benefit Tesla,” is becoming a reality through policy suggestions.

Victim's Voice: Who Will Pay for the Technical Defects?

Some individuals involved in Tesla collision incidents express concerns about the government potentially relaxing regulations.

They believe that if the government's investigation and recall powers are limited, Tesla may not be held accountable for its mistakes. This concern is growing, especially in the context of frequent accidents resulting in casualties.

For example, 22-year-old Naibel Benavides Leon was struck by a Tesla vehicle using the Autopilot feature while on a date with her boyfriend, and investigations into the incident revealed that the autonomous driving system had a malfunction at the time.

The Associated Press believes that for accidents like Leon's, the lack of effective national regulation may allow Tesla to evade legal responsibility. In some unresolved cases, victims' lawyers have stated that if it were not for the NHTSA's investigation into Tesla's system defects, cases that could have been closed may have continued. Stanford University autonomous driving expert Bryant Walker Smith pointed out:

"The problem is that Tesla's system cannot achieve the advertised effects, and blaming government regulation is just an excuse to shift the focus."

Automotive industry analysts note that the cancellation of the $7,500 electric vehicle subsidy will have limited impact on Tesla but will hit competitors hard. This "regulatory arbitrage" may consolidate Tesla's market monopoly at the cost of sacrificing industry safety standards.

For Musk, this is a crucial leap to clear obstacles and achieve a trillion-dollar market value; but for the public, weakened regulation may mean more tragedies like that of Benavides Leon.

When technological innovation breaks through government checks and balances, how will society bear the costs of losing control? The outcome of this game may define the transportation revolution of the next decade