- Donald Trump might end a crash reporting requirement for autonomous driving tech.
- The move would reduce government oversight of such systems.
- Elon Musk’s Tesla opposes the current reporting requirement.
If there’s one thing America loves, it’s a good tug-of-war between corporate power and government oversight, especially when it involves cutting-edge tech, fiery CEOs, and a whole lot of car crashes. Today, any accident involving an automated driving system must be reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), thanks to a Standing General Order issued in June 2021. This rule keeps automakers honest—well, sort of—but now, a newly surfaced document suggests that the Trump administration wants to kill it.
And surprise, surprise: the potential repeal would be a massive win for Elon Musk and Tesla, while also leaving regulators with fewer tools to keep autonomous driving tech in check.
More: See What Happens When Two Cars Hit A Chinese EV At 60KM/H In Triple Crash Test
Reuters reports that it has seen a document that “recommends repealing requirement that companies report automated vehicle crash data.” That’s notable for several reasons, not least of which is one of the requirement’s biggest opponents: Elon Musk. The high-profile CEO, who not only campaigned openly for Donald Trump before the election but also became his largest donor, spending at least $277 million to support him, now stands to benefit in a significant way.
A Rule Tesla Really Hates
Under the current rules, Tesla, like many other companies, must report crashes to the NHTSA under the General Order if they meet two specific criteria. First, the vehicle’s Level 2 autonomous driving system must have been in use within 30 seconds of the accident. Second, the crash must either involve a vulnerable road user (like a pedestrian or cyclist) or result in “a fatality, a vehicle tow-away, an airbag deployment, or any individual being transported to a hospital for medical treatment.”
Musk takes exception to this order for several reasons. To be fair, the NHTSA itself even outlines some of the potential issues with the order on its website. For instance, car companies can only report the accidents that they’re aware of—which isn’t always as straightforward as it sounds.
“For example, some entities may have access to detailed vehicle and crash data immediately after a crash, because the vehicles supply instantaneous telematics, while others may only learn of crashes from consumer complaints submitted days or weeks afterwards and which may include limited crash information,” says NHTSA.
Reuters points out that its analysis of the NHTSA crash data shows Tesla accounted for 40 out of 45 fatal crashes reported to the agency through Oct. 15. It’s plausible that Tesla not only reports more incidents but also that the statistics look tilted against the brand because so many of its cars have Level 2 driving technology and owners use it more.
Moreover, Bryant Walker Smith, a law professor in the University of South Carolina who focuses on autonomous driving, said Tesla collects real-time crash data that other automakers don’t and, as a result, probably reports a “far greater proportion of their incidents” than its rivals.
Did Tesla Wait This Out? Probably.
To that end, Reuters says a source claims that Tesla executives have wanted to squash the crash reporting for years. The team evidently decided that the only solution was to wait until President Biden, whose administration was supportive of the program, was out of office.
In the meantime, stay tuned—because if this unfolds the way it seems, you’ll probably be hearing about it next time someone’s Tesla decides to “assist” them into a ditch.
