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NHTSA Bans Device that Disables Tesla Autopilot Safety Feature
Federal authorities have ordered a California company to stop marketing a device that interferes with the automatic warnings issued by Tesla Inc.’s Autopilot semi-autonomous driving system.
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Federal authorities have ordered a California company to stop marketing a device that interferes with the automatic warnings issued by Tesla Inc.’s Autopilot semi-autonomous driving system.
Autopilot can steer a Tesla vehicle automatically under certain conditions. The banned product, called Autopilot Buddy, disables an Autopilot feature that warns drivers to place their hands back on the wheel after several seconds of non-contact.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has ordered Autopilot Buddy maker Dolder, Falco and Reese Partners LLC to stop marketing its $200 device in the U.S. NHTSA says that defeating a safety system is “unacceptable.” Tesla concurs.
The manufacturer’s website describes its product as a “Tesla Autopilot Nag Reduction Device” and says it hopes to resolve the NHTSA order “as quickly as possible.”
Tesla tells owners they must be able to resume control of their car instantly at any time, regardless of whether or not Autopilot is functioning.
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