The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature in relation to four crashes that occurred in reduced-visibility conditions with either the beta or supervised versions of FSD enabled. One incident in Arizona resulted in a pedestrian fatality. The NHTSA cites sun glare, fog, and airborne dust as factors affecting visibility in these incidents and is examining FSD’s ability to detect and respond appropriately to such conditions. Additionally, the NHTSA will investigate any changes by Tesla to the system that could impact FSD’s performance in reduced visibility conditions. In a separate investigation, the NHTSA previously linked Tesla’s Autopilot system to 14 deaths in hundreds of crashes, with findings indicating that drivers were not sufficiently engaged. Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently announced plans for the Model 3 and Model Y SUV to operate without supervision in California and Texas next year and unveiled the Cybercab, a two-seater robocab with no steering wheel or pedals intended for production by 2027. Tesla does not have a media relations department for comment.
