The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the U.S. auto safety regulator, is taking a closer look at Tesla’s driver-assistance technology after several crashes, one of which was fatal, Reuters reported.
The investigation now includes about 3.2 million Tesla vehicles, which is almost every car the company has sold in the U.S. If a safety problem is found, this review could lead to a recall or other legal action.
The main focus of the investigation is Tesla’s «degradation detection» feature. This tool is supposed to spot poor visibility and tell drivers to take control of the car.
The regulator said that in both old and updated versions, the system may not have reliably detected glare or other objects that block a driver’s view. It also may not have given drivers enough warning.
Earlier this year, Tesla announced it would stop production of the Model S and Model X, its oldest vehicle models.
