Tesla Autopilot Probe Moves to Next Level

Tesla is facing further scrutiny from U.S. auto safety regulators over its Autopilot advanced driver assistance system. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has sent the automaker a nine-page letter seeking information on a number of issues following the escalation of an investigation earlier this year into a series of collisions with first responder vehicles. The probe has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis, which is normally considered the last stage of the investigation process before the agency decides whether a recall is required. That could affect up to 830,000 Teslas on American roads. One particular area of interest highlighted in the new letter is the performance of Tesla’s camera-based driver monitoring system, which can detect if a driver is not paying attention and send them alerts when the tech is engaged. (Despite its name, Autopilot requires the driver to be ready to take control at all times.)