When the Autopilot feature on Tesla first introduced itself to the car industry there was a bunch of skepticism on whether or not this accessory was safe for the public. The United States government did their research and investigations to find out that there were no complications in the mechanics and announced the conclusion of their investigation as they claimed the vehicle to be safe for human operations. From 2014 to 2021 Tesla has created 4 different models (S, X, 3, and Y) that are all currently being scrutinized for their Autopilot malfunctions and unexplained crashes. Various U.S. regulators are taking part in the investigation in order to ensure that the public sees no more malfunctions in multi-billionaire Elon Musk’s car company.
President of a Los Angeles-based safety group Jamie Court had this to say about the way Tesla has been conducting their business: “Tesla has treated its customers like guinea pigs and deployed a faulty technology that can kill people with a false promise that it is an Autopilot.” Neither Musk or any representative from Tesla has responded to these accusations in which we can assume he and the company would rather answer with physical proof of his team working on the technicalities he claims they are. U.S. officials will be specifically investigating “the technologies and methods used to monitor, assist and enforce the driver’s engagement with the dynamic driving task during the Autopilot operation.”
Earlier this year, the NHTSA was in the process of overlooking a total of 23 accidents that happened when the Autopilot feature was in use. One family actually sued Tesla for “technology defects” back in 2019 in hopes of getting some type of funding for the death of the driver who was promised a safe drive, even when not in control of the wheel or pedals. The business was never never found as the guilty party. As Elon Musk and Tesla continue their complicated journey to the top of the car industry, this setback just might be the one that sparks a newer sense of safety when dealing with technologically advanced self-driving vehicles.