US opens probe into 2.6 million Tesla autos over distant driving function

By David Shepardson and Akash Sriram

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration stated on Tuesday it has opened a probe into 2.6 million Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) autos in the US over experiences of crashes involving a function that permits customers to maneuver their vehicles remotely.

The brand new investigation comes after the U.S. auto security company in October opened an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla autos outfitted with Full Self-Driving (FSD) software program after 4 reported collisions, together with a deadly 2023 crash.

NHTSA stated it’s opening a preliminary analysis into Tesla’s Really Good Summon function over experiences of 4 crashes involving Tesla autos.

The autos didn’t detect posts, or parked autos, once they had been working on Really Good Summon, NHTSA stated, including it had experiences the place customers “had too little response time to keep away from a crash, both with the out there line of sight or releasing the telephone app button, which stops the automobile’s motion.”

Really Good Summon was launched in September and permits customers to remotely transfer their automobile in the direction of them or one other location utilizing a smartphone software.

The predecessor to the function allowed customers to maneuver their automotive ahead or backward into or out of a parking spot.

NHTSA is opening a preliminary analysis into the function after which should determine whether or not to replace the probe to an engineering evaluation earlier than it may search to require a recall.

President-elect Donald Trump will take workplace in 13 days and Tesla CEO Elon Musk is an in depth adviser who has beforehand criticized the NHTSA’s actions.

NHTSA stated it would assess Really Good Summon’s most pace, use on public roads and line of sight necessities. The probe will even cowl distant management by the telephone app, the influence of connectivity delays and the system’s efficiency in unanticipated situations.

The probe covers 2016-2025 Mannequin S and X autos, 2017-2025 Mannequin 3 and 2020-2025 Mannequin Y with the non-obligatory Full Self-Driving driver help system.

One grievance stated a Mannequin 3 in Houston in 2023 struck a parked automotive with a passenger inside, whereas one other Mannequin Y in September in Henderson, Nevada abruptly turned left an struck a parked automobile.

Tesla, whose inventory was down 4% in noon buying and selling, didn’t reply to a request for remark.

Tesla in December 2023 recalled greater than two million U.S. autos to put in new safeguards in its Autopilot superior driver-assistance system. NHTSA remains to be probing whether or not that recall is ample to deal with issues drivers aren’t paying consideration.

The heightened scrutiny of the superior driver help system comes as Musk appears to be like to pivot in the direction of self-driving know-how and robotaxis.