One of Brett Schreiber's clients was featured by Politico in their article, "Deeply Concerned’: Crash Victims’ Families Ask DOT Not to Water Down Tesla Oversight".
The article provides a summary of the letter that families of Tesla crash victims submitted to Secretary of Transportation, Patrick Duffy, which urged that the Transportation Department continue to maintain oversight and ongoing federal investigations into Tesla's self-driving technologies. The letter also includes the families fears into a potential repeal of a rule that requires companies to report crashes that involve advanced driver assistance technologies and their fears that recent layoffs & future planned costs may impact the effectiveness of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
From the families: "We are deeply concerned that NHTSA's oversight of autonomous vehicle (AV) systems may be weakened, particularly through the repeal of the Standing General Order rule. We fear this important measure is under threat given recent media reports and the influence of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whose company operates the most widely used Level 2 ADAS systems in America.
"According to NHTSA data, there have been over 1,800 crashes involving Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) and Autopilot reported since 2019, including dozens of fatalities and many more serious injuries. Just as your family has experienced the life-shattering consequences of a preventable motor vehicle collision, we’ve had our own devastating experiences, all of which were caused by Tesla’s autonomous driving technology being released onto the roadways without the necessary safeguards."
Politico also included the Department's response:
"As the Secretary made clear during his confirmation hearing, he is committed to allowing NHTSA’s investigators to follow the evidence and operate objectively. [T]he agency will continue to enforce the law on all manufacturers of motor vehicles and equipment in accordance with the Vehicle Safety Act and the agency’s data-driven, risk-based investigative process."
