Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) aren’t too happy that Tesla has disclosed details about a fatal Model X crash that occurred on March 23.
On Friday, Tesla revealed that the Model X being driven by Wei Huang, 38, was operating in Autopilot mode when it slammed into a highway barrier and caught fire. The electric automaker revealed that its computer logs said the driver didn’t have his hands on the steering wheel for six seconds before the fatal impact.
According to the NTSB, however, Tesla acted preemptively by publicizing details about the crash while official investigations are still ongoing.
In a statement, NTSB spokesman Christopher O’Neil, “The NTSB is unhappy with the release of investigative information by Tesla.
“The NTSB is looking into all aspects of this crash including the driver’s previous concerns about the Autopilot.”
Tesla may have jumped the gun
Traditionally, the NTSB guards its investigations very closely and usually has rules about when participants can release information. Legal agreements between the parties involved are usually in place.
Automotive News reports that in the past, the NTSB has thrown manufacturers off of investigations when they make unauthorized statements, like that made by Tesla.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is also investigating the crash.
In a previous investigation after a fatal Model S crash in mid-2016, the NTSB said that Tesla should have taken steps to prevent the misuse of Autopilot.