Pete Buttigieg Still Avoids Mentioning Tesla in Interview, When Asked About the Company

Photo: Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg has been vocal about his support for the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), with Tesla remaining a key company absent from much of the politician’s rhetoric.

In a new interview with The Verge shared on Thursday, Buttigieg discussed the future of EVs, including topics ranging from the U.S. charging infrastructure to regulating driver assistance systems like Tesla’s Autopilot.

Buttigieg was asked if a broader look needs to be taken at Tesla and their technology given their “unique role” in the overall transportation field, in addition to CEO Elon Musk’s disdain for authority, to which he emphasized that the market needs regulation and absolute clarity on what’s being offered.

Responding to whether Tesla’s products deserve a broader look in the EV world or not, Buttigieg said, “Anything on the market today that you can buy is a driver assistance technology, not a driver replacement technology. I don’t care what it’s called. We need to make sure that we’re crystal clear about that — even if companies are not.”

Buttigieg continued, “Existing authorities will give us a lot to work with to keep drivers and passengers safe. We’re going to continue to use those in every responsible way and look for more running room where it’s needed.”

Almost impressively, Buttigieg still managed to avoid mentioning Tesla by name, despite responding to this and other questions directly related to the automaker – which is responsible for two-thirds of all EV sales in the U.S. in 2021.

Earlier this year, a CNBC reporter also asked Buttigieg why Tesla wasn’t invited to the White House for President Biden’s signing of an executive order mandating 50 percent of new cars sold to be electric by 2030, while General Motors (GM), Ford and Stellantis were all invited.