Families Urge DOT to Maintain Tesla Oversight Amid Concerns of Musk's Influence

Families of victims from crashes involving Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems have urged Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to maintain rigorous oversight of the automotive industry and resist any regulatory rollbacks that could compromise safety. In a letter, they expressed concerns about the influence of Tesla CEO Elon Musk on federal investigations, fearing it could lead to weakened National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) oversight. They specifically called for the preservation of a rule requiring the reporting of crashes involving automated driving systems, pointing to over 1,800 incidents logged by NHTSA since 2019, resulting in at least 54 fatalities. The families highlighted their belief that the deaths of their loved ones were preventable and stressed the importance of independent investigations free from political interference. Amid concerns about staffing cuts at NHTSA, officials have emphasized their commitment to enforcing vehicle safety regulations. The families are advocating for continued scrutiny of Tesla's driver assistance technologies to prevent future tragedies.