Tesla's self-driving system will be investigated by safety agencies

Tesla's plans to build a fleet of self-driving cars suffered a setback Friday when the top federal auto safety regulator said it was investigating whether the technology was responsible for four crashes, including one that killed a pedestrian.

The regulator, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, said it is testing whether the software, which Tesla calls Supervised Self-Driving, has safeguards that require drivers to regain control of their cars in situations where autonomous technology cannot handle them. . own

As sales of Tesla's electric cars slump, the company's chief executive Elon Musk has staked the company's future on software that allows cars to navigate, steer and brake without human supervision. Last week, the company held an event at Warner Bros. Studios near Los Angeles to unveil what it calls the CyberCab, which Mr. Musk promised would be able to ferry passengers without a human driver.

But such software has faced continued criticism from regulators and safety experts who say it doesn't do enough to ensure drivers are alert and ready to take over if the system goes wrong. Tesla faces numerous lawsuits from people who blame the software for injuries or the death of loved ones.

Tesla did not respond to requests for comment.

The accidents highlighted by the safety agency Friday occurred when road visibility could be limited due to sun, fog or dust, the federal safety agency said. While Tesla relies on cameras to operate its self-driving software, other manufacturers use radar or laser technology that is better at detecting objects and people when the view is often obscured by bad weather or bright sunlight.

The agency said it would “examine the potential failure of the system to detect and isolate specific situations where it cannot function adequately.”

A pedestrian died in the collision. In the other, one person was injured, the agency said.

The investigation includes 2.4 million Tesla vehicles, including vehicles manufactured through 2016. All of Tesla's passenger models are involved, the agency said, including the Model 3 and Model S sedans, the Model X and Model Y sport utility vehicles and the Cybertruck.

Federal officials have also been investigating a less capable Tesla system known as Autopilot for several years. These investigations may not survive if former President Donald J. Trump is elected next month. Mr Trump said he would appoint Mr Musk to lead a “commission on government efficiency”, one of his key supporters in the business world.