The Autopilot feature of Tesla Inc. has been a subject of scrutiny in Germany as an intense review of the automaker’s driver-assistance technology increases. Tesla is consequently compelled to modify Autopilot features in the country by the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA).
Electrek reported that Tesla’s Autopilot features vary depending on the vehicle’s location. This is partly because the company uses its fleet’s data to improve the Autopilot features.
Considering that most data originates in North America, particularly California, the Autopilot feature performs better in these places than others. That said, certain laws, such as Europe’s, preclude Tesla from launching some of its Autopilot features.
Unfortunately for the company, it was again forced to modify its Autopilot by regulations as the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) has found “abnormalities,” according to Wirtschaftswoche.
With a software update, the automaker allegedly “partly” resolved the issues. However, there are still problems (translated from German):
| In a Tesla investigation by the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA), which has been running since the beginning of the year, the electric car manufacturer can book a partial success. According to a KBA spokesman, the KBA carried out tests on Tesla vehicles as part of market surveillance and found “abnormalities”. They have now been “already partially remedied by the manufacturer”. For the remaining problems, “further remedial measures are still being tested and validated”. The focus of the investigation is on the driver assistance system (“Tesla Autopilot”). |
Richard Damm, the president of the KBA, stated that the organization is awaiting information from Tesla and may step in if it does not. “If we do not receive any information, we cannot rule out that systems do not comply with the rules.” He warned.
In retrospect, the Auto Lane Change feature of Tesla Autopilot has been the target of the most recent regulatory pressure on the company’s Full Self-Driving package and sparked concerns from the KBA earlier this year that it would be banned in Europe.
As of now, the NHTSA is conducting a thorough investigation of the system.
