Tesla’s driver assistance systems are the subject of a multiyear investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA.

NHTSA acting administrator Ann Carlson confirmed the report with federal vehicle safety regulators Thursday, according to Reuters’ David Shepardson.

In an e-mail, an NHTSA spokesperson confirmed Reuters’ comments, and said “NHTSA’s Tesla investigations are ongoing, and the agency generally does not comment on ongoing investigations.”

Upon identifying a string of crashes in which Tesla drivers, thought to be using the company’s driver assistance systems, crashed into the stationary vehicles of first responders, the agency initiated a safety investigation of Tesla’s driver assistance systems in 2021 — now marketed as Autopilot, Full Self-Driving and FSD Beta options.

Despite their names, Tesla’s driver assistance features do not make their cars autonomous. There is no way Tesla cars can serve as robotaxis like those operated by General Motors’ Cruise or Alphabet’s Waymo. As a result, Tesla vehicles require a human driver at the wheel, ready to steer or brake at any moment. In certain circumstances, Tesla’s standard Autopilot and full self-driving systems control braking, steering, and acceleration.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk – who also owns and operates the social network X (formerly Twitter) – often implies Tesla cars are autonomous. On July 23, an ex-Tesla employee who led the company’s artificial intelligence software engineering posted on social media about ChatGPT, and how much it impressed his parents when he showed them for the first time. Musk responded on X: “Same with Tesla FSD.”. “Most people do not know that cars can drive themselves.”.

According to Tesla’s owner’s manual, drivers using Autopilot or FSD should keep their hands on the steering wheel at all times, be aware of road conditions, surrounding traffic, and other road users (such as pedestrians and cyclists). Prepare yourself for immediate action at all times. It is possible to cause serious injury or death if you fail to follow these instructions.”

The company’s cars feature a driver-monitoring system that uses cameras in the cabin and sensors in the steering wheel to detect whether a driver is paying adequate attention to the road and driving tasks. On the car’s touch screen, the system will “nag” drivers to stay focused and put their hands on the wheel by chiming and displaying a message. However, it is unclear whether this is a strong enough system to ensure Tesla’s driver assistance features are used safely.