What's happened
The US safety regulator is examining Tesla's new 'Mad Max' driving mode, which reportedly exceeds speed limits and operates aggressively. Multiple reports of traffic violations and crashes have prompted an investigation into whether this mode compromises safety, amid ongoing scrutiny of Tesla's FSD system.
What's behind the headline?
The emergence of 'Mad Max' mode highlights ongoing safety risks associated with Tesla's FSD system. Despite Tesla's claims that FSD requires active supervision, reports of vehicles exceeding speed limits and running red lights suggest a gap between system capabilities and real-world safety. NHTSA's investigation underscores the regulatory concern that Tesla may be prioritizing aesthetic and sales features over safety. The fact that Tesla reposted promotional material describing 'Mad Max' as a sports car-like experience indicates a potential conflict between marketing and safety responsibilities. This situation is likely to lead to stricter oversight and possibly tighter regulations on autonomous driving features, especially those that encourage aggressive driving behaviors. For consumers, this raises questions about the reliability of Tesla's safety claims and the importance of driver vigilance when using FSD. The next steps will involve detailed safety assessments, and if Tesla's 'Mad Max' mode is found to violate traffic laws or increase crash risks, it could result in regulatory actions or restrictions on its deployment.
What the papers say
The coverage from Ars Technica, NY Post, The Guardian, and The Independent collectively highlight the regulatory and safety concerns surrounding Tesla's 'Mad Max' mode. Ars Technica emphasizes the company's less constrained approach following a wrongful death lawsuit, while the NY Post and The Guardian focus on NHTSA's ongoing investigation into traffic violations linked to FSD. The Independent underscores the social media reports of aggressive driving and the regulator's review of 58 safety-related incidents, including crashes and injuries. All sources agree that Tesla's marketing of 'Mad Max' as a high-speed, aggressive mode raises safety questions, especially given the history of NHTSA investigations into FSD's safety performance. The divergence lies in the tone: Ars Technica discusses Tesla's corporate behavior and regulatory environment, whereas the others focus more on the safety implications and regulatory responses.
How we got here
Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system has been under investigation by NHTSA for over a year due to reports of traffic violations and crashes. The new 'Mad Max' mode, which Tesla describes as driving like a sports car at high speeds, has raised safety concerns after social media reports of aggressive driving and exceeding speed limits. NHTSA's current inquiry follows dozens of complaints and recent investigations into Tesla's broader FSD system, which requires driver supervision but has been linked to dangerous vehicle behaviors.
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is an agency of the U.S. federal government, part of the Department of Transportation.
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Tesla, Inc. is an American electric vehicle and clean energy company based in Palo Alto, California. The company specializes in electric vehicle manufacturing, battery energy storage from home to grid scale and, through its acquisition of SolarCity, solar