Trump Nominates Transportation Secretary: Will Investigate Safety Concerns of Tesla's FSD and Summon

Sean Duffy, the nominee for transportation secretary under President-elect Donald Trump, has made it clear that he will support the new U.S. administration's ongoing investigation into Tesla's (TSLA.US) advanced driver-assistance systems. The decision comes as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigates 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with full self-driving (FSD) software following reports of four crashes, including one fatal crash in 2023.

As a former member of Congress, Duffy firmly stated during a Senate hearing: "I will ensure that the NHTSA investigation proceeds." Notably, Tesla's CEO Elon Musk is not only a tech leader but also a close adviser to Trump, who has previously criticized NHTSA's regulatory work.

When asked by Senator Ed Markey, "Can you commit to allowing NHTSA to follow the evidence and operate objectively, regardless of political pressure?" Duffy did not directly respond to the question, but his stance clearly indicated his support for the NHTSA investigation.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

NHTSA is also conducting a separate investigation into another feature of Tesla's vehicles, "Smart Summon," which involves 2.6 million vehicles due to crashes that occurred while the feature allowed users to remotely move their cars.

NHTSA noted that the vehicles failed to detect columns or parked vehicles while using "Smart Summon" and that users often did not have enough reaction time to avoid crashes, whether through visual judgment or releasing a mobile application button to stop the vehicle.

Notably, Tesla recalled more than 2 million U.S. vehicles in December 2023 to install new safety measures for its Autopilot advanced driver-assistance system. However, NHTSA is still assessing whether the recall is sufficient to address driver distraction.

As Musk pushes for the development of autonomous technology and robotaxis, Tesla's advanced driver-assistance systems are facing unprecedented scrutiny.

In addition to Tesla, Duffy said he would examine a $633,000 fine proposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) against Musk's other company SpaceX for alleged violations of launch licensing requirements.