Tesla confirms DoJ request for Autopilot documents in criminal investigation

Tesla’s Autopilot system has come under considerable scrutiny recently following reports of an unusual number of Tesla vehicle crashes and the possibility that the company misled investors and consumers about the usefulness of Autopilot. Tesla has now confirmed that it has indeed been asked for documents related to Autopilot in an ongoing investigation by the US Department of Justice (DoJ).

Regulatory Filings Seen by The Wall Street Journal Confirm that Tesla is under a criminal investigation led by the US DoJ and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In the filing, Tesla says:

To our knowledge, no government agency has concluded that any wrongdoing occurred in the ongoing investigation.

[…] If the government decides to pursue enforcement action, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, prospects, cash flows and financial position.

The ongoing investigation reportedly involves officials in Washington and San Francisco. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has long been investigating Tesla, while the California Department of Motor Vehicles has previously accused the company of falsely advertising its cars as autonomous. .

Tesla is currently facing many challenges. While it has begun rolling out a beta version of its fully self-driving (FSD) system in North America, it has missed its 2022 delivery target and has said that driving range, charging speed, North Korea has been fined $2.2 million for false advertising. and estimates of the fuel economy of its electric cars. The firm is also expected to announce layoffs soon.

Source: SEC Filings through WSJ (paywall)