Trump transition calls for end to reporting on accidents involving Musk’s company car

Neither the transition team nor Musk or Tesla responded to requests for comment. Reuters was unable to determine Musk’s direct involvement in the recommendations or their possible government implementation.

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation criticized the requirement as onerous. This group represents most major car manufacturers except Tesla.

Data from the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) shows that Tesla is responsible for 40 of the 45 fatal accidents reported as of October 15. Among the cases investigated are fatal accidents in Virginia and California involving Tesla’s “Autopilot” feature.

NHTSA says data is crucial for evaluating emerging technologies. Two former employees highlighted that the requirements were fundamental to investigations that resulted in recalls in 2023.

Since 2021, more than 2,700 accidents have been analyzed by NHTSA. This data led to 10 investigations and nine recalls involving four different companies.

Cruise, a GM startup, was fined for failing to report an incident in 2023. Following the incident where a vehicle struck a pedestrian, GM announced that it will halt development of Cruise’s autonomous technology.