In a letter addressed to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) officially took notice of how autonomous driving technology is currently being tested, and lobbied for changes in regulation thereof — reports CNBC.
The letter, which name-drops Tesla 16 times, details how essentially unfinished driver-less tech like Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) beta is currently allowed to be tested on public roads by paying customers with little to no oversight or regulation/reporting of the potential risk to drivers.
“Tesla recently released a beta version of its Level 2 Autopilot system, described as having full self-driving capability. By releasing the system, Tesla is testing on public roads a highly automated AV technology but with limited oversight or reporting requirements”, wrote NTSB chief Robert Sumwalt.
“NHTSA’s hands-off approach to oversight of AV testing poses a potential risk to motorists and other road users”, he added.
The NTSB has also come across a discrepancy in how Tesla markets Full Self-Driving — a Level 2 technology, which means that it has some automated functions, but requires users to remain attentive and keep their hands on the wheel at all times.
While FSD is classified as merely a Level 2 system in Tesla’s fine print, it is regularly touted as more, even by Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
In a February episode of the Joe Rogan Experience the CEO said, “I think Autopilot’s getting good enough that you won’t need to drive most of the time unless you really want to”. Yet, the system still remains in beta and isn’t even available outside the U.S. (yet).
The NTSB is tasked with investigating motor accidents to determine a root cause, and make safety recommendations to auto regulators accordingly. The NTSB has previously investigated fatal crashes involving Tesla vehicles equipped with Autopilot technology in March 2018 and March 2019. Tesla’s annual data shows vehicles with Autopilot are inherently safer than cars without.
Just yesterday, Tesla expanded its FSD beta test group to nearly 2,000 owners.
Here’s the complete letter sent to the NHTSA:
