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Title: Federal Investigation Initiated Over Tesla's Autopilot Feature Used by 2.6 Million Vehicles

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has shifted its focus towards addressing safety concerns associated with Tesla's "Actually Smart Summon" (ASS) feature.

Title: Federal Investigation Initiated Over Tesla's Autopilot Feature Used by 2.6 Million Vehicles

In 2016, Elon Musk promised an exciting future for Tesla owners, promising they'd be able to summon their vehicles from anywhere, even having a car in New York travel to its driver in Los Angeles. However, in 2025, Tesla's "Actually Smart Summon" technology is under scrutiny by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) over safety concerns. The organization announced on Tuesday that it will investigate 2.6 million Tesla vehicles due to issues related to this feature.

The inquiry follows several reports of incidents involving this technology, resulting in accidents. The NHTSA will examine several aspects of the feature, such as the top speed a vehicle can travel while being remotely controlled, connectivity delays, and the capability of Tesla's autonomous driving software to navigate various environments.

The "Summon" feature, available since 2016, has had a mixed history with Tesla. Initially, the technology permitted a driver to call for their vehicle to come to them, autonomously navigating without a driver inside. Following its upgrade to "Smart Summon" in 2019 and the introduction of "Actually Smart Summon" (ASS) last year, the feature's capability expanded, allowing vehicles to navigate more complex situations and recall a car from further distances.

Unfortunately, ASS has been criticized for being slow and inefficient. The NHTSA report includes only one official accident involving the Summon software, but it has also received at least three media reports of similar incidents and 12 reports of crashes related to the software sent through Vehicle Owners Questionnaires. Despite regulations requiring Tesla to report these incidents, the company has failed to share any details with the agency.

Musk, known for his lobbying efforts, may not be too concerned about this investigation. In an attempt to befriend President-elect Donald Trump, he campaigned for the rollback of accident report requirements for autonomous vehicles. Though the probe's outcome is uncertain, Tesla is facing numerous challenges regarding its autonomous technology.

Last year, the NHTSA launched an investigation into the company's Full Self-Driving system following a series of high-profile crashes allegedly involving the technology. Tesla recalled its Autopilot technology on over two million cars, and the NHTSA is still evaluating whether the fixes were sufficient. Moreover, the Department of Justice is still assessing whether Tesla misled consumers and investors regarding its self-driving features.

The investigation by the NHTSA underscores the need for Tesla to improve its "Actually Smart Summon" technology in the future, ensuring it meets safety standards and addresses concerns about connectivity delays and navigational capabilities. Despite Tesla's promise of a convenient future with tech like "Summon," the company must now focus on addressing these issues to regain public trust and confidence in its autonomous driving features.

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