US agency says Tesla’s public statements imply that its vehicles can drive themselves. They can’t

AP Auto Writer

DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government’s highway safety agency says Tesla is telling drivers in public statements that its vehicles can drive themselves. That conflicts with owners manuals that say the vehicles need human supervision. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is asking the company to make sure its messages are consistent with instructions to drivers. The request came in a May email to the company. It was attached to a letter seeking information on a probe into crashes involving Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” system in low-visibility conditions. The letter was posted Friday on the agency’s website. A message was left seeking comment from Tesla.