***WASHINGTON (AP) — Elon Musk has criticized the U.S. government for hindering Tesla, his electric car company, from advancing robotaxis and self-driving vehicles.***
***Musk’s close ties with President Donald Trump could potentially alleviate numerous federal challenges faced by Tesla in the near future.***
***Possible outcomes include the termination of crash investigations into Tesla’s autonomous cars, a Department of Justice probe into potential overstatements of self-driving capabilities by Musk and Tesla, and a requirement to report crash data on vehicles using technologies like Tesla’s Autopilot.***
***Safety advocates caution that these actions could have serious consequences, as federal investigations and recalls have been instrumental in saving lives.***
***Former senior safety adviser at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Missy Cummings, remarked, “Musk seems to want to take charge of the Department of Transportation. The multiple ongoing investigations involving Tesla could all disappear.”***
***Following Trump’s inauguration, the White House and Musk initiated a campaign against the federal government, halting spending and programs and dismissing numerous career employees, sparking criticism from legal experts.***
***While the Trump administration has not yet announced specific actions benefiting Tesla or Musk’s ventures, dismantling federal investigations or safety initiatives could be an easier task compared to challenging regulators and bureaucracy.***
***New agency leaders can swiftly close investigations into companies like Tesla, and safety programs initiated by agencies can be dissolved without legal constraints.***
***This dynamic makes ongoing federal probes and safety initiatives vulnerable to those seeking to diminish government oversight.***
***Veteran Wall Street analyst Daniel Ives predicts that Trump’s presidency and his rapport with Musk could lead to a relaxation of regulations that have been constraining Tesla.***
***Musk’s influence extends beyond Tesla, with federal scrutiny also directed at his other ventures, such as SpaceX and X.***
***These businesses, which receive significant federal contracts, are subject to investigations that could potentially be affected by changes in government policy.***
Since 2008, $20 billion in federal funds has been allocated for transporting astronauts and satellites to space. In contrast, Tesla has received $41.9 million from the U.S. government, which includes payments for providing vehicles to certain U.S. embassies. The billionaire CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, has gained significant influence by supporting Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Musk donated over $270 million to Trump’s bid for the White House, making him the largest donor to the campaign. In return, Trump has appointed Musk to oversee efforts to reduce government regulations and spending as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency. Despite facing challenges to his authority under DOGE, Musk continues to wield power from his office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Prior to Trump taking office, Tesla’s stock price rose by over 60%, although it has since decreased but still remains 40% higher than pre-election levels. The White House has not addressed concerns regarding investigations and oversight related to Tesla and Musk’s other ventures. Trump’s transition team proposed changes that would benefit Tesla, such as eliminating the requirement for carmakers to report crash data involving autonomous technology and scrapping the $7,500 consumer tax credit for electric vehicles. These actions would likely favor Tesla over its competitors in the electric vehicle sector. Despite facing criticism, Musk remains focused on his long-term goal of shaping regulations for autonomous vehicles.
Elon Musk, who has invested millions of dollars in Trump’s campaign, has expressed his support for the federal government to establish regulations for autonomous vehicles. Musk, who heads the organization advocating for government efficiency, emphasized the need for a federal approval process during a call. Concerns have been raised by individuals impacted by Tesla crashes regarding the lack of oversight. They fear that restricting the federal government’s investigative and recall powers could lead to an increase in dangerous accidents. One tragic incident involved the death of 22-year-old Naibel Benavides Leon, who was killed in a Tesla crash while the vehicle was on Autopilot. Despite a federal investigation revealing faults in Autopilot at the time, Tesla has faced criticism for potential accountability issues. The victim’s family and advocates stress the importance of thorough investigations and accountability when technology fails. Various federal agencies, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, are conducting probes into Tesla’s self-driving technology and potential safety concerns. In addition, investigations are ongoing regarding allegations of misleading claims by Musk and Tesla, which could potentially impact the company’s operations.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is pushing for reforms at Tesla plants and seeking compensation for Black employees who experienced racist attacks. The agency has filed a federal lawsuit against Tesla’s Fremont, California plant, alleging that Black employees were regularly subjected to racist insults by supervisors and coworkers.
There is concern that ongoing investigations could be terminated, particularly at the Justice Department, where President Trump has a history of interfering in the department’s operations. The Trump administration has dismissed numerous prosecutors involved in cases related to the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021.
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Zeidenberg believes that the Department of Justice will not pursue Elon Musk. The Trump administration has also made changes to the National Labor Relations Board and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, leading to legal challenges and staff changes.
Tesla and Musk have denied any wrongdoing in these investigations and are resisting the probes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been successful in persuading Tesla to cooperate in crash investigations and recalls.
NHTSA has investigated Tesla’s automated driving systems following multiple crashes. There is an ongoing investigation into Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” system after reports of difficulties navigating in challenging conditions. The political environment may influence whether Tesla voluntarily initiates recalls in response to identified defects.
An Arizona woman tragically lost her life after pulling over on a freeway to assist someone involved in a separate crash. Tesla, in response to pressure from NHTSA, has issued two recalls for its “Full Self-Driving” feature to implement necessary software updates. This technology, touted as the most advanced among Tesla’s Autopilot systems, aims to enable drivers to navigate from one point to another with minimal human input. However, recurrent malfunctions prompted NHTSA to initiate a recent inquiry, including a fatal July accident that claimed the life of a motorcyclist near Seattle.
In January, NHTSA announced a new investigation into “Actually Smart Summon,” a Tesla feature allowing drivers to remotely move their vehicles, following reports of four incidents from a driver and multiple media outlets. According to the agency, in each collision, the vehicles were utilizing the system introduced in a September software update, which failed to detect obstacles such as posts or parked vehicles, resulting in accidents. NHTSA also criticized Tesla for not promptly notifying the agency of these incidents.
Furthermore, NHTSA is currently examining the effectiveness of a 2023 recall involving Autopilot, Tesla’s most basic partially automated driver assistance system. This recall aimed to enhance control features and alerts to ensure drivers remain engaged. It was prompted by a previous NHTSA investigation that identified numerous Autopilot-related crashes leading to numerous injuries and fatalities.
Critics argue that Tesla lacks adequate sensors for full self-driving capabilities. Most competitors in the autonomous vehicle industry utilize radar and laser sensors, in addition to cameras, to enhance visibility in challenging conditions. In contrast, Tesla solely relies on cameras to detect hazards. CEO Elon Musk contends that since human drivers rely on eyesight, autonomous vehicles should be able to function effectively with cameras alone, dismissing radar and light detection technologies as unnecessary.
Scholars and experts in automated driving, such as Bryant Walker Smith from Stanford Law School, challenge Musk’s claims that government regulations hinder progress. They argue that Tesla’s autonomous vehicles have failed to deliver on promised capabilities. Smith suggests that blaming the government serves as a convenient excuse for the absence of a functional automated driving system from Tesla.
Amid ongoing delays in introducing futuristic vehicles, Musk has acknowledged the significant financial implications at stake for Tesla. He has emphasized that achieving a fully self-driving vehicle is crucial for the company’s valuation. The repercussions of Tesla’s technology failures extend beyond fatalities, impacting individuals with life-altering injuries.
Legal representatives advocating for victims of Tesla crashes emphasize that civil litigation remains a crucial avenue for holding the company accountable in the absence of effective regulatory oversight.
“The civil justice system is left to pick up the slack,” stated Brett Schreiber, whose law firm is currently handling four Tesla cases. Despite this, Schreiber and other legal professionals warn that if the federal government’s investigative powers are compromised, Tesla may evade accountability in the courtroom. In a pending wrongful death lawsuit brought by Neima Benavides Leon against Tesla following her sister’s tragic passing, her attorney informed a Miami district judge that the lawsuit likely would have been dropped if the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hadn’t conducted an investigation revealing defects in the Autopilot system.
“We had been hopeful all along that the NHTSA investigation would yield the outcome it ultimately did – the identification of a product defect leading to a recall,” remarked attorney Doug Eaton during a court hearing in March. “Early in the case, we had conveyed that had NHTSA not found such defects, we might have been compelled to abandon the case. Fortunately, they did uncover these issues.”
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