Tesla has falsely suggested in social media posts that its cars are autonomous, potentially misleading and endangering drivers, according to a warning from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“Tesla’s X (Twitter) account has re-posted or endorsed postings that exhibit disengaged driver behavior,” Gregory Magno, the head of the NHTSA, wrote to Tesla’s board in an email in May that was made public on Friday. “Tesla’s postings conflict with its stated messaging that the driver is to maintain continued control over the dynamic driving task.”
Magno warned that viewers of Tesla’s online communications, including posts on X, may expect a car with the company’s Full Self-Driving Supervised, or FSD, system to have the capabilities of a robotaxi even though they require human supervision, meaning a driver ready to steer or brake at any time.
Tesla has until Dec. 18 to respond to NHTSA’s letter, which also included requests for extensive information about …