NHTSA investigates safety of self-driving deployment in Texas, but Tesla withholds answers as proprietary information
Tesla (TSLA) is keeping its responses to federal safety questions about its robotaxi operations in Texas under wraps, labeling all of the information as confidential business material. According to a letter made public Monday, Tesla told U.S. regulators that none of its answers should be disclosed to the public.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirmed it is reviewing Tesla’s responses, particularly regarding how its self-driving robotaxi handles poor weather and other safety concerns. The agency launched a review after submitting detailed questions to the company, as part of its oversight of autonomous vehicle deployments.
However, federal law limits what the agency can share with the public when companies classify submissions as confidential. “Federal law restricts NHTSA’s ability to publicly release what the companies label as confidential,” the agency stated. Still, NHTSA emphasized that it is conducting a thorough analysis. “Following an assessment of these responses and other relevant information, NHTSA will take any necessary actions to protect road safety.”
Tesla has remained quiet about the technical capabilities and limitations of its robotaxi service, which CEO Elon Musk has repeatedly promoted as the future of transportation. With this latest move, the company is reinforcing its stance on secrecy, even as public scrutiny of autonomous vehicle safety continues to grow.
The confidentiality push comes as regulators, lawmakers, and safety advocates increasingly call for greater transparency from automakers developing autonomous technologies. For now, it remains unclear whether Tesla’s responses raise any red flags — or whether the robotaxi rollout will face additional scrutiny or delays as the investigation progresses.
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