Federal Probe Launched into Tesla's 'Mad Max' Driver Assistance Mode
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating Tesla's Full Self-Driving system, specifically its 'Mad Max' mode, due to reports of aggressive driving, traffic violations, crashes, and injuries.
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Overview
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating Tesla's 'Mad Max' driver assistance mode following reports of aggressive driving.
- The federal probe focuses on Tesla's Full Self-Driving system, which is accused of operating vehicles at speeds above posted limits.
- NHTSA is examining 58 reports of traffic safety violations, including instances of running stop signs and crossing into oncoming traffic.
- These violations linked to the Full Self-Driving system have reportedly resulted in 14 crashes and 23 injuries.
- The investigation into Tesla's 'Mad Max' mode and Full Self-Driving system has been ongoing for a year due to persistent safety concerns.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story by highlighting the safety concerns and regulatory scrutiny surrounding Tesla's "Mad Max" driving mode. They use loaded language like "controversial" and editorially interpret Tesla's actions as "feeling less constrained" despite a recent wrongful death lawsuit. The coverage emphasizes the mode's aggressive nature and includes strong criticism from a lawyer, collectively building a narrative of risk and irresponsibility.
"Tesla is deliberately programming cars to exceed speed limits and drive aggressively, putting everyone on our roads at risk."
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FAQ
The 'Mad Max' mode is a new speed profile in Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system that allows the vehicle to drive at higher speeds, often ignoring speed limits, and perform more frequent lane changes.
NHTSA launched an investigation due to reports of aggressive driving, traffic violations such as running stop signs and crossing into oncoming traffic, and incidents causing crashes and injuries linked to Tesla's 'Mad Max' mode and Full Self-Driving system.
The violations have reportedly resulted in 14 crashes and 23 injuries according to NHTSA reports.
Tesla's AI processes billions of input tokens daily from cameras, navigation maps, and kinematic data, supported by a global fleet generating large volumes of driving data. It uses tools like Generative Gaussian Splatting to reconstruct 3D scenes quickly and a neural world simulator to safely test driving models in virtual environments.
Some users have given rave reviews, noting that 'Mad Max' mode comes with higher speeds and more frequent lane changes compared to previous versions of the Full Self-Driving software.
History
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