The NHTSA has issued a warning to Tesla after the company's social media posts suggested that its cars are capable of functioning as robotaxis.

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration cautioned Tesla about the potential misinformation in its online advertisements, which may lead drivers to believe that its vehicles are autonomous ride-hailing services.
• Tesla's FSD option, a partially automated driving system, is being investigated by the agency for potential safety defects.
• When President-elect Donald Trump's administration starts, Tesla CEO Elon Musk plans to reduce federal expenditures and lessen regulations.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a warning that falsely suggesting on social media that cars are autonomous could potentially mislead and endanger drivers.

"In May, Gregory Magno, the head of the NHTSA, wrote to Tesla's board in an email that was made public on Friday, stating that Tesla's X (Twitter) account had re-posted or endorsed postings that exhibited disengaged driver behavior. He pointed out that Tesla's postings conflict with its stated messaging that the driver is to maintain continued control over the dynamic driving task."

Tesla's Full Self-Driving Supervised (FSD) system, which is available for online communication, may not be as capable as a robotaxi, despite requiring human supervision.

Tesla must reply to NHTSA's letter by Dec. 18 and provide detailed information about their vehicles and FSD technology. If they do not respond, they could face a maximum of $135.8 million in fines. However, they can request an extension.

The NHTSA is currently investigating potential safety issues with Tesla's FSD feature, a partially automated driving system, after a series of collisions occurred within 30 seconds of impact, including one fatal accident involving a Tesla driver using FSD.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk's social network, X, featured a series of posts shared by the company, including one that depicted a driver using FSD to drive to a hospital while experiencing a possible heart attack and another that showcased a driver who claimed to have used FSD for a 50-minute ride home from a sporting event.

Tesla suggested that using FSD while inebriated or fatigued has advantages, according to Magno. NHTSA requested that Tesla align its online communications with user instructions and the level of capability deployed on public roads.

When the new administration begins, Musk, who backed President-elect Trump's campaign, plans to reduce federal spending and regulations. Additionally, he intends to establish a federal standard for the safety of autonomous vehicles.

Since Tuesday's election, Tesla shares have increased by 28% in three trading days, reaching a market cap of over $1 trillion on Friday.

Tesla did not promptly reply to a request for comment. Please refer to the NHTSA letter to Tesla for more information.

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