NHTSA inquires Tesla to understand the details of FSD software and Robotaxi operations
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an inquiry to Tesla regarding its FSD software and Robotaxi operations. Tesla is required to respond by June 19, 2025. NHTSA is concerned about the performance of FSD under low visibility conditions and the applicability of its autonomous driving system. Additionally, NHTSA has requested information on the fleet size and safety assessment for the unmanned taxi service. This investigation stems from reports of traffic accidents related to the use of FSD. Tesla is testing FSD-based mobility services in Texas and the San Francisco Bay Area
According to the Zhitong Finance APP, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a series of inquiries to Tesla (TSLA.US) regarding its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software and the company's planned autonomous taxi service (Robotaxi). Tesla is required to respond to NHTSA's requests by June 19, 2025.
In a letter from NHTSA to Tesla, federal investigators have raised questions focusing on the performance of FSD under low visibility conditions and seek to "understand how Tesla assesses the suitability of its vehicles and autonomous driving technology on public roads." NHTSA has requested Tesla to clarify whether its autonomous driving system is the same as or similar to the existing "supervised FSD system." Additionally, NHTSA has asked Tesla to provide details on the fleet size and vehicle models used for the autonomous taxi service, as well as how Tesla evaluates the "operational safety" of its autonomous taxis under low visibility road conditions (such as bright sunlight, haze, dust storms, rain, and snow).
It is reported that this information investigation is part of NHTSA's inquiry into Tesla's "Full Self-Driving" (FSD) software. The investigation was initially launched in October 2024, stemming from reports of four traffic accidents related to the use of FSD in low visibility conditions. This subscription-based FSD software requires drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel. FSD is currently offered to Tesla owners as a "supervised version."
Tesla stated at the end of April that its FSD-based ride-hailing service is being tested in Austin, Texas, and the San Francisco Bay Area, having completed "over 1,500 trips and 15,000 miles of driving." Tesla CEO Elon Musk claimed that the company's upcoming autonomous taxi service will utilize the yet-to-be-released "unsupervised FSD" software
