The US is looking into Tesla's 2.4 million cars' whole self-driving software

The U.S. started looking into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles with Full Self-Driving (FSD) software after four crashes, including one fatal in 2023.

The NHTSA must conduct an initial assessment before recalling vehicles if they determine there is an unreasonable risk to public safety.

Elon Musk aims to shift Tesla's focus to robotaxis and self-driving technology due to slow demand and rising competition in the auto industry, in line with recent analyses of advanced driver assistance systems.

Last week, Musk introduced the innovative "Cybercab" robotaxi concept from Tesla—a sleek two-seater, two-door vehicle designed to navigate roads autonomously using advanced sensors and artificial intelligence. With no pedals or steering wheel in sight, this groundbreaking design would require approval from the NHTSA to operate without human controls.

The NHTSA has initiated an investigation following four reports of collisions involving fully autonomous driving (FSD) during conditions of reduced road visibility, such as sun glare, fog, or dust. Notably, a 2021 Tesla Model Y was involved in a tragic incident in November 2023 near Rimrock, Arizona, resulting in the death of a pedestrian. Additionally, another crash under investigation has resulted in reported injuries. The inquiry encompasses Tesla's Model S and X vehicles from 2016 to 2024 that are equipped with the optional FSD feature, alongside the 2017–2024 Model 3, the 2020–2024 Model Y, and the 2023–2024 Cybertruck.

The corporation has declined to comment on the requests made. Nonetheless, its shares saw a modest increase of 0.1% in early trading. According to Tesla's website, the FSD software implemented in on-road vehicles necessitates active monitoring by the driver and does not render the cars fully autonomous. Meanwhile, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is currently investigating whether the engineering controls of the FSD are capable of accurately identifying and responding to scenarios with diminished visibility on the road.