Trump's Transportation Nominee Commits to NHTSA Probe of Tesla's Full Self-Driving Mode

Jan 15, 2025, 06:17 PM

Sean Duffy, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Transportation, has committed to allowing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to continue its investigation into Tesla's self-driving software, known as Full Self-Driving (Supervised) mode. During his Senate Commerce Committee confirmation hearing, Duffy emphasized his commitment to objectivity in the investigation, despite Tesla CEO Elon Musk's significant influence within the Trump administration. The investigation stems from concerns over driver engagement with Tesla's advanced driver-assistance systems, following incidents where drivers were not paying attention to the road, leading to crashes. Duffy also mentioned the need for national legislation to regulate autonomous vehicles uniformly across the country, highlighting the technology's potential to revolutionize transportation and the importance of safety in its deployment.