Tesla Admits Justice Department Requested Documents on Self-driving Option

Tesla revealed that the U.S. Justice Department has requested the documents regarding its Full Self-Driving option and the Autopilot driver-assistance systems amid its regulatory probe.

The automotive company said in a filing that it received requests from the Justice Department "for documents on Tesla's Autopilot" and self-driving features, accordung to Reuters.

Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk has promoted the systems as innovations that will both improve road safety and place the company as a technology leader.

Tesla has been testing a technology it calls Full Self-Driving, with a limited number of car owners, with the system seeking to extend Autopilot technology beyond highways and onto city streets.

Some Tesla owners have filed a lawsuit alleging that the features do not live up to the Tesla CEO's promises. It also prompted an investigation into its technology safety.

Justice Department Investigating Tesla

In October, it was reported that the Justice Department and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission were probing Tesla's claims about its Autopilot feature.

Other federal and state agencies are also probing the Autopilot and other crashes it might have caused, according to Market Watch.

Tesla noted that the self-driving feature has "all functionality" of Autopilot, including some capabilities involved in urban driving.

The primary auto safety regulator in the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is currently probing the Autopilot feature after it received reports of 35 crashes involving the driving option. Out of those crashes, resulting in 14 deaths, as cited by The New York Times.

Tesla declared in its filing that no government agency involved in the investigation has concluded that there was any wrongdoing that occurred.

The company added that if the government chooses to pursue an enforcement action, it could have a financial impact on the automotive group.

The current system prompts Tesla cars to disengage Autopilot if drivers do not consistently keep a hand on the wheel.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles filed a complaint against Tesla alleging the company of misleading customers through advertisements claiming that the vehicles are equipped with Autopilot and the self-driving tech was autonomous.

Tesla Self-Driving Accident

Last December, a 2021 Tesla Model S caused an eight-vehicle crash in California. The driver told state authorities that the vehicle was in full self-driving mode when the technology malfunctioned.

The police report noted that the Tesla vehicle was traveling at 55 mph when it changed lanes and braked abruptly, which slowed the car to about 20 mph, according to The Guardian.

It caused another vehicle to crash into the Tesla, with a series of a chain reaction of crashes.

Police were unable to identify whether it was a software malfunction or if the driver's account was accurate.

The crash happened hours after Musk announced that Tesla would make the self-driving software available to anyone in North America who requested it.

The feature was only previously offered for drivers with high safety scores.

Michael Brooks, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, told ABC News Go that Tesla has been releasing vehicles on the road that is "unable to perform to the capabilities claimed."

Brooks added that drivers relied on those promises and "essentially not paying attention to the drive" as they thought more of its capabilities.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: DOJ seeks Tesla driver-assist documents - from Reuters