NTSB Chair Urges Elon Musk to Redesign Tesla Autopilot

NTSB Urges Tesla to Redesign Driver Assistance System

Jennifer Homendy, Chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), has formally requested that Tesla modify the design of its advanced driver assistance system. This call to action, detailed in a letter addressed to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, aims to prevent driver misuse.

Concerns Over Unimplemented Safety Recommendations

The NTSB’s concerns stem from Tesla’s failure to implement two safety recommendations issued over four years ago. The urgency of these recommendations has grown alongside the rollout of Tesla’s more automated driving features through its “Full Self-Driving” software beta.

Homendy stated that investigations into crashes involving Tesla vehicles have demonstrated a clear need for a system redesign to prioritize safety. Tesla has not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding this matter.

NTSB’s Limited Authority

It’s important to note that the NTSB’s role is advisory. The board can only issue recommendations and lacks the legal authority to enforce regulations or establish policy.

Acknowledging Tesla’s Cooperation, Highlighting Inaction

While acknowledging Tesla’s cooperation with NTSB investigations following crashes, Homendy’s letter primarily focused on the company’s lack of action regarding critical safety recommendations.

The 2017 Fatal Crash and Initial Recommendations

In 2017, following a fatal crash involving Joshua Brown and his Tesla Model S, the NTSB issued two safety recommendations to Tesla. The crash occurred when Brown’s vehicle struck a tractor-trailer.

The investigation revealed that Tesla’s Autopilot system was engaged at the time of the incident. Brown was utilizing Autopilot in conditions for which it wasn't intended and experienced extended periods without maintaining hand contact with the steering wheel.

Autopilot’s Driver Monitoring Deficiencies

The NTSB determined that Autopilot did not adequately monitor or respond to driver interaction with the steering wheel to guarantee driver engagement.

The agency recommended that Tesla implement safeguards to restrict Autopilot’s operation to designated conditions and develop improved methods for sensing driver engagement and providing alerts when engagement is insufficient during automated system use.

Disagreement Over Operational Design Domain

Tesla has maintained that operational design domain limits are not applicable to Level 2 driver assist systems like Autopilot, asserting that the driver is responsible for determining the appropriate operating environment.

Homendy countered this argument, emphasizing that NTSB’s crash investigations have consistently shown that system design changes are necessary to prevent misuse and ensure safety.

Comparison with Other Automakers

The NTSB also extended a recommendation to five other automakers with Level 2 driving automation systems, urging them to implement driver engagement and alerting mechanisms.

These five manufacturers responded to the NTSB, outlining their planned or ongoing actions to enhance driver engagement monitoring.

Tesla’s Unique Non-Response

“Tesla is the only manufacturer that did not officially respond to us about the recommendation,” Homendy stated in her letter, highlighting the company’s singular lack of engagement on this critical safety issue.