#Senators say Tesla’s ‘self-driving’ claims are misleading

Tesla advertising for its “Autopilot” and “Full Self-Driving” features is misleading to consumers and should be investigated by the Federal Trade Commission, two US senators said Wednesday. 

Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Ed Markey of Massachusetts called on FTC Chair Lina Khan to open an investigation and take “appropriate enforcement action” against the Elon Musk-led automaker.

“Tesla’s marketing has repeatedly overstated the capabilities of its vehicles, and these statements increasingly pose a threat to motorists and other users of the road,” the senators wrote in a letter to Khan. “Their claims put Tesla drivers – and all of the traveling public – at risk of serious injury or death.” 

FTC spokesperson Mitchell J. Katz told The Post that the agency “can confirm that we have received the letter, but will have nothing more to say.”

Tesla did not immediately reply to a request for comment. 

The senators’ request comes just two days after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it had opened a formal investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot feature after a series of crashes with parked emergency vehicles.

The NHTSA said it had identified 11 crashes since 2018 in which Teslas on Autopilot or Traffic Aware Cruise Control have hit vehicles with flashing lights, flares, an illuminated arrow board or cones warning of hazards. The investigation could lead to a recall or other enforcement actions, the agency said. 

In Blumenthal and Markey’s complaint, the senators pointed to several pieces of evidence including videos of Musk boasting over the past two years that the company was imminently close to deploying “full automation.” 

“Tesla drivers listen to these claims and believe their vehicles are equipped to drive themselves – with potentially deadly consequences,” the senators wrote. “At least 11 people have died in fatal crashes with Autopilot activated since Tesla introduced the feature in 2015.”

The senators additionally pointed to YouTube videos of Tesla drivers from this year that allegedly show the company’s “Full Self-Driving” software malfunctioning and requiring human intervention. 

“We are alarmed by the prospect of more drivers relying more frequently on systems that do not nearly deliver the expected level of safety,” the senators said.

The request for an FTC investigation also echoes a probe from the California Department of Motor Vehicles, which said in May that it is reviewing whether the automaker is violating a law that prohibits advertising vehicles as autonomous unless they meet strict regulatory criteria. The state agency did not immediately reply to a request for an update for the probe on Wednesday. 

The senators’ call for an FTC probe comes at an awkward time for Tesla, which is hosting a splashy “Autonomy Day” for investors and the press on Thursday. Musk is expected to give a keynote with updates on Tesla’s self-driving features and other artificial intelligence projects, according to Electrek.