Tesla’s “full self-driving” faces another NHTSA probe after fatal crashes in low-visibility conditions

In summary: Elon Musk’s vision of a world where humans can drive hands-free has faced setbacks as the NHTSA investigates the safety of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system following a series of accidents in low-visibility conditions.

The NHTSA is looking into four accidents involving Teslas equipped with the FSD beta, which crashed in conditions like sun glare, fog, or dust clouds. These incidents, including a pedestrian fatality and injuries, have raised concerns about the system’s ability to respond appropriately in poor visibility.

The FSD system relies on cameras only, unlike Waymo’s setup which includes camera, lidar, and radar hardware. Additionally, older Tesla models with less advanced sensors are also running the FSD beta software, raising questions about the system’s safety.

This is not the first time Tesla’s autonomous driving technology has faced scrutiny. Previous incidents led to recalls and restrictions on Autopilot use due to safety concerns. Despite these issues, Musk remains optimistic about FSD and advanced autonomy as key to Tesla’s profitability, with plans for a robotaxi service to generate additional revenue.

However, investors have expressed skepticism, leading to a drop in Tesla’s stock value after the robotaxi announcement. The lack of details and use of human-controlled robots during the event have added to doubts about Musk’s promises.