The California Department of Motor Vehicles said the state is evaluating the need to regulate Tesla’s self-driving tests, because of video showing the Technology is used dangerously. In addition, the U.S. federal government has previously launched an investigation into the Tesla car accident.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles has previously said that Tesla’s beta Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature requires human intervention and is therefore not subject to its self-driving car regulations.
But the bureau said in a letter Friday to California Senate Transportation Committee Chair Lena Gonzalez: Recent software updates and video showing the technology being used dangerously refer to We are reconsidering this decision following NHTSA’s public investigation and input from other experts.
Tesla did not respond to a request for comment, and the electric car company has been rolling out a beta version of its advanced driver assistance software FSD, a move that effectively allows untrained drivers to test How well the technology works on public roads has raised safety concerns.
Critics say Tesla avoided the agency’s oversight by claiming to the California Department of Motor Vehicles that its FSD feature doesn’t make its cars self-driving. The California Department of Motor Vehicles said it had notified Tesla that it will initiate a further review of its vehicle technology, including any expansions to current programs or capabilities.
If these features meet the definition of an autonomous vehicle under California law and regulations, DMV will take steps to ensure that Tesla operates under the appropriate autonomous vehicle license, the bureau said in a statement. According to Phil Koopman, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania, under the rule, Tesla will need to specifically report details of crashes and traffic tickets related to FSD.
He also said it would also trigger driver background checks to ensure (a good driving record). For now, the regulations cover companies like Google parent Alphabet and General Motors, which are testing self-driving car technology on public roads in California.
The FSD feature allows Tesla’s cars to perform driving tasks such as lane changes, but Tesla says it requires an attentive driver (for human intervention if necessary). Still, Tesla bills the technology as Full Self-Driving, and charges up to $10,000 for the software.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles also said the agency’s review of Tesla’s use of the term Full Self-Driving is continuing. Like many other safety stakeholders, the DMV is concerned that as these systems become more commonplace, drivers may be negligent, misunderstood, or misused, the agency said.
