No more Mr Nice DoJ - Tesla gets subpoenas over self-driving software claims
- Reference: 1698086543
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2023/10/23/telsa_doj_investigation/
- Source link:
The [1]10-Q regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission says that, in addition to investigations by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the SEC, the DoJ has subpoenaed the electric car maker for a host of important information.
"The company has received requests for information, including subpoenas, from the DOJ. These have included requests for documents related to Tesla’s Autopilot and FSD features," it states.
[2]
"Additionally, the Company has received requests for information, including subpoenas from the DOJ, regarding certain matters associated with personal benefits, related parties, vehicle range and personnel decisions. To our knowledge no government agency in any ongoing investigation has concluded that any wrongdoing occurred."
[3]
[4]
Nevertheless Elon's Musketeers say that they can't predict any outcomes of such investigations and included the usual boilerplate of "We cannot predict the outcome or impact of any ongoing matters. Should the government decide to pursue an enforcement action, there exists the possibility of a material adverse impact on our business, results of operation, prospects, cash flows, financial position or brand."
In February Tesla said that the DoJ [5]had requested documents relating to the company overpromising on the capabilities of its Autopilot and FSD self-driving software - and if this was implicated in any deaths of US citizens. Now it seems the DoJ is playing hardball over the issue.
[6]Musk in hot water with SEC for failure to comply with subpoena
[7]Equal Employment Commission sues Tesla for racist discrimination, retaliation at Fremont plant
[8]Tesla's Autopilot boasts, safety probed by California AG
[9]Thousands of Teslas recalled over brake fluid bug
[10]California and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is already investigating the number of crashes involving Tesla vehicles running with software assistance for drivers. The [11]NHTSA found around 70 percent of such reported incidents involved Tesla vehicles, with the firm's vehicles currently accounting for around half of the electric cars bought in the US.
As for battery range issue, this could be related to a report in July claiming that Tesla rigged its cars to overestimate the range available to drivers, until the charge levels reached 50 percent, when a more realistic figure was displayed. This has been going on for around a decade, according to Reuters.
[12]
When customers called in to get a fix for an issue that could potentially see them stranded too far from a recharging station, Tesla reportedly set up a "Diversion Team" in Las Vegas, where support staff would get a $1,000 for every customer appointment on the issue they canceled.
Given that last month the SEC had to [13]start legal action against Elon Musk because he refused to cough up docs elating to his purchase of Twitter, the DOJ might have a long wait.
Tesla had no comment at time of publication. ®
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[1] https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1318605/000162828023034847/tsla-20230930.htm#ib5ff2de9b5b0458894a3412674c85416_100
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZTbtByCqGG57Ui2H97KmyQAAAAQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZTbtByCqGG57Ui2H97KmyQAAAAQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZTbtByCqGG57Ui2H97KmyQAAAAQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2023/02/01/tesla_autopilot_investigation/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2023/10/06/musk_in_hot_water_with/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2023/09/29/eeoc_sues_tesla_for_racist/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/28/tesla_california_ag_investigation/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2023/10/17/55000_teslas_recalled_over_brake/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/28/tesla_california_ag_investigation/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2022/06/15/tesla_autopilot_accounts_for_70/
[12] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZTbtByCqGG57Ui2H97KmyQAAAAQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2023/10/06/musk_in_hot_water_with/
[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: At any normal company
Maybe he owns his company, try it sometime. ;-)
Re: At any normal company
He owns something like 20% of Tesla's shares. That's a lot, but far from 100%. When acting as its CEO he has a fiduciary duty to the other stockholders to manage it in the best interest of shareholders as a whole, not in his own personal best interest.
Re: At any normal company
Actually, he doesn't. The whole fiduciary duty thing is a myth, but it still doesn't mean that the shareholders couldn't force a vote of no confidence or something and push him out. Also, Twitler is massively overleveraged. He even took the ridiculously stupid and risky move of using some of his Tesla shares as a guarantee on a loan to buy more Tesla shares. He's one decent sized margin call from being about as wealthy as a homeless person.
Re: At any normal company
Ohhhh,.... Aren't we just the little edgelord in training! Keep at it, and maybe one day you'll get to wear the big boy pants!
Re: At any normal company
I have.
It turns out you're actually supposed to be held accountable for rather a lot. And you are held accountable, at least when you own a company at the small end of the scale.
If what you actually mean is "maybe he's filthy rich, try it sometime", I'd love to give it a go. I'm not certain, but I'm fairly sure I could comport myself in a more civil and beneficial manner.
Musk, the Trump doppelganger, knows what to do.
So, all Musk need do is chalk this stuff up to "...Deranged Jack Smith and the Biden ‘Political Opponent Abuser’ DOJ, "
Works every time.
Not saying Tesla's auto drive does not work.
However, a tweet tends to send their owner off the rails on occasion.
...simply look at all the down-votes here, already. I didn't think there were so many deranged non-critical-thinking asshole followers of a deranged, non-critical-thinking asshole. Oh, wait...approximately fifty percent of the US's Trump-loving population in this category. And probably the world, for that matter. Conclusion? The average person loves a sociopath...
What George Carlin said is really true:
"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups."
and
"Think about how stupid the average person is. Now consider that half the population is more stupid than that. "
It is hard to beat George Carlin in directness. Bless him, whatever blessing he wants but obviously not any god.
Is Joe Pesci still alive? If so, get him to bless Carlin.
As a Carlin fan, I have to make a minor correction.
It's “Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.” You got the essence of it right, which is the important part, but his version is pithier.
This is the consequences of not giving a kick-back to the Big Guy
Get with the program Elon. This is the consequences of not giving a kick-back to the Big Guy
Re: This is the consequences of not giving a kick-back to the Big Guy
Every accusation is a confession ...
Risk calculation
I'm most definitely not defending musk, I just had to point out that the California DMV investigations note that 70% of e-vehicle accidents involve Tesla, and while Tesla now has 50% (and declining) market share, I would bet the current total accumulated miles driven by Teslas are still higher than 50% and the rate might even be favorable to Tesla in this case. Of course, the rate of accidents effectively caused by fraudulent claims of FSD is definitely not favorable to Tesla!
The wisdom of the Internet
A comment I recently read was something to the effect of:
If you find yourself lost while trail hiking, don't panic. Just say, as loudly as you can, "Elon Musk isn't that intelligent!" Within second, several of the most unfuckable men on the planet will appear out of nowhere to call you poor. You can then follow them back to the parking lot and the burning wreckage of their Teslas.
At any normal company
Someone like Twitler would have been out on their ass years ago. The amount of trouble he attracts, most of which is completely avoidable, is just insane. And how much time can he possibly be spending on the day-to-day operations of Tesla when he's clearly spending most of his days shitposting on Twitter? Then whatever time he isn't promoting Tesla has the successor to Mercedes-Benz as the official car for Nazis (thank you John Oliver and staff), he's probably spending at SpaceX. Granted the less he has to do with the day to day at Tesla probably the better, but still. He seems to spend precious little time dealing with anything Tesla.