US Justice Department investigates Tesla’s deception with claim about self-driving function | RTL News

Tesla has been offering a self-driving feature in their cars for years. But anyone using this feature still needs to pay close attention behind the wheel. The driver remains responsible and must still intervene if necessary.

The American justice department has now launched a major investigation into Tesla’s claims about these functions, and how far they go, Reuters news agency reports.

1. Which claims exactly does the US justice department investigate?

This is not known, but Elon Musk, the big man behind Tesla, has been promising for years that fully self-driving cars are almost here. In interviews he often hints that Tesla’s self-driving function is potentially even safer than humans.

That is also marketing from someone who wants to sell cars.

2. How far does Musk go in this regard?

In a Tesla video it says in bold letters: The person in the car is only here for legal reasons. It doesn’t do anything, the car drives itself. That video is now seven years old and already suggested that the car can do a lot on its own and that you as a driver might not have to pay so much attention.

3. Justice thinks that is at least exaggerated?

That’s right, because if you look at the text on Tesla’s website, it says in the small print: “Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Capability are intended for use by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel.” and is prepared to intervene at any time.”

This is also evident from compilations that you often see on the internet: self-driving Teslas that sometimes make life-threatening mistakes. There are also several cases where the car drives straight into a post, car or wall, and you see the driver intervene with a sharp pull on the steering wheel.

4. Have there been any accidents due to the self-driving function?

The US government has investigated hundreds of car accidents involving Tesla’s autopilot. In those accidents, 54 people were injured, and 14 people even died.

It is not said that those accidents were also caused by those Teslas. But at the end of last year, 2 million Teslas were recalled in America due to safety risks from incorrect use of the autopilot.

5. What does this mean for Tesla?

It is not yet clear whether a lawsuit will actually result. Time will tell.

Investors are not happy with the news. Yesterday the stock price fell by almost 2 percent and at the time of writing Tesla is losing another 1 percent.