Tesla has found itself in hot water once again, this time with lawyers filing a motion to dismiss a public information request that would require the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to release data about crashes involving its vehicles under automated or semi-automated driving systems. The request was made by The Washington Post last year, seeking additional data about crashes that occurred while Tesla’s driver assistance systems, such as Autopilot and Full Self-Driving, were engaged.
The crux of Tesla’s argument lies in the potential harm that releasing this data could cause. The company claims that competitors could use the information to assess the efficacy of Tesla’s hardware and software, potentially leading to financial and economic harm. Tesla argues that competitors would essentially be able to “read ahead” in their own development process by learning from Tesla’s accumulated data and mistakes.
Tesla’s motion highlights the competitive harms that could arise from releasing crash data to the public. The company asserts that competitors may draw speculative conclusions about the quality of Tesla’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) technology based on preliminary investigations, potentially leading to disparagement and harm to Tesla’s reputation.
While Tesla’s arguments are well-crafted and supported by NHTSA, the larger question at hand is whether NHTSA’s duty is to protect the private interests of a corporation or the public safety of America’s roadways. By withholding crash data, NHTSA may inadvertently hinder efforts to improve road safety and hold automakers accountable for the performance of their autonomous driving systems.
Ultimately, the decision to release or withhold crash data involving Tesla’s vehicles will have far-reaching implications for the future of autonomous driving technology and the safety of drivers on the road. It remains to be seen how this legal battle will unfold and what impact it will have on the transparency and accountability of the automotive industry as a whole.