Overview

• Families of Tesla crash victims have written to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, urging the preservation of a Biden-era rule requiring crash reporting for autonomous and driver-assist systems.
• The rule has been instrumental in identifying safety issues, including a December 2023 recall of over 2 million Tesla vehicles via a software update to address driver inattention and warning system defects.
• Tesla accounted for 40 out of 45 fatal crashes involving driver-assist systems reported to NHTSA through October 2024, highlighting the importance of continued oversight.
• Concerns persist over potential staffing cuts at NHTSA and Elon Musk’s influence on the Trump administration, which could weaken investigations into Tesla’s technology.
• Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has committed to allowing NHTSA investigations to proceed, despite political and corporate pressures.