So guys, it looks like this US Attorney’s Office investigation into Tesla and Autopilot will go far beyond whether the systems actually work or not. The regulatory authorities are now examining whether Elon Musk and Tesla committed securities or wire fraud Misleading investors and customers about the self-driving capabilities of their cars Reuters.
Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems are currently able to do this Level 2 autonomy. This means they can assist with steering, braking and changing lanes, but they are not completely autonomous. The Austin, Texas-based automaker has warned drivers to remain ready to take charge if things get hairy, but now the Justice Department is reviewing contradictory statements from Tesla and CEO Elon Musk which indicate that the cars can drive themselves.
Separately, regulators are investigating hundreds of accidents – some fatal – that have occurred in the meantime Autopilot was engaged. It has led to massive recalls the EV manufacturer.
Here you can find out what the investigators are looking for Teslaaccordingly Reuters:
Investigators are looking into whether Tesla committed wire fraud, which involves deception in interstate communications, by misleading consumers about its driver assistance systems, the sources said. They are also looking into whether Tesla committed securities fraud by deceiving investors, two of the sources said.
The Securities and Exchange Commission is also investigating Tesla’s claims about driver assistance systems to investors, one of the people said. The SEC declined to comment.
Tesla did not respond to a request for comment. Last October, it disclosed in a filing that the Justice Department had asked the company for information about Autopilot and Full Self-Driving.
The Justice Department declined to comment.
The investigation that does not provide evidence of wrongdoing could result in criminal charges, civil penalties, or failure to take action. One of the sources said prosecutors are far from deciding how to proceed, in part because they are combing through extensive documents that Tesla submitted in response to subpoenas.
Reuters was unable to identify the specific statements that prosecutors considered potentially unlawful. Musk has aggressively promoted the power of Tesla’s driver assistance technology for nearly a decade.
An archived video from 2016 Teslas The website demonstrating the technology says: “The person behind the wheel is only there for legal reasons.” He does nothing. “The car drives itself,” Reuters Reports. But here’s the thing. That’s just a blatant lie. That’s what a Tesla engineer said in 2022 while testifying in a lawsuit over a fatal accident Autopilot crash that the video should show the potential of the technology in the future. Nevertheless, Musk posted it on social media and announced: “Tesla drives itself.”
Find out more about it here Musks Relation to self-driving vehicles:
In a conference call with reporters in 2016, Musk described Autopilot as “probably better” than a human driver. During a call in October 2022, Musk discussed an upcoming FSD upgrade that would allow customers to “drive to your work, to your friend’s house, to the grocery store without having to touch the steering wheel.”
Musk is increasingly focused on self-driving technology as Tesla’s car sales and profits slump. Tesla recently slashed CoSts through mass layoffs and plans for a long-awaited $25,000 model that had been expected to drive sales growth were put on hold.
“Going all out for autonomy is an absolutely obvious step,” the billionaire executive posted on his social media platform X in mid-April. Tesla shares, which have fallen more than 28% so far this year, rose at the end April spiked as Musk visited China and made progress toward approval for FSD sales there.
Musk has been promising self-driving Teslas for about a decade. “Simply failing to achieve a long-term, ambitious goal is not fraud,” Tesla lawyers said in a 2022 court filing.
Either way, you all should check out Reuters for a more comprehensive breakdown of what’s happening at Tesla and the investigations and other legal issues the automaker is currently facing.