Families of victims who died or were injured in crashes involving Tesla’s self-driving technology say they fear Elon Musk’s influence on President Donald Trump’s administration may weaken government oversight on automated vehicles, Politico reports.
Seven families wrote to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Tuesday, expressing their concern that the Trump administration will repeal the Standing General Order, a Biden-era policy that required vehicle manufacturers like Tesla to report crashes that involved advanced driver assistance technologies or automated driving systems.
“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,” the families wrote in the letter shared by The Verge.
Concerns over the tech billionaire’s influence grew weeks after his Department of Government Efficiency, a Trump administration initiative tasked with cutting federal spending, fired several employees who were a part of the specialized unit in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration overseeing the safety of autonomous vehicles.
Neima Benavides was among the family members who signed the letter to Duffy. She lost her sister Naibel in 2019 when a Tesla vehicle engaged in autopilot mode struck Naibel and her boyfriend while they were stargazing in Key Largo, Florida. According to the letter, data from Naibel’s crash helped the NHTSA develop safety improvements in autonomous vehicles.
“The deaths of our loved ones were preventable,” the families wrote. “As Secretary, you have the power to ensure these tragedies are not repeated. By maintaining strong federal safeguards, you can prevent more families from having to face the same heartbreak we have endured.”
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A Department of Transportation spokesperson told HuffPost that Duffy’s “heart goes out to the victims’ families” and that he “takes their concerns seriously.”
Duffy is “committed to allowing NHTSA’s investigators to follow the evidence and operate objectively,” the spokesperson said. “Our priority is safety, and the 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.”