Transportation Nominee Supports Tesla Safety Investigations

Sean Duffy, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Transportation Secretary, affirmed during his Senate confirmation hearing that he would permit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to continue its investigations into Tesla's advanced driver assistance systems. The NHTSA is currently probing 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving (FSD) software after several crashes, including a fatal incident in 2023. Duffy committed to allowing NHTSA to operate independently, despite concerns about potential political pressure from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, a close adviser to Trump. He acknowledged the need for a cohesive national regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles, highlighting safety and national security issues. Additionally, Tesla recently recalled over two million vehicles to enhance the Autopilot system, and NHTSA is evaluating the adequacy of this recall. Duffy's stance may set him at odds with Musk as he navigates his new role within the Trump administration.