Earlier this month, Tesla decided that what the world really needed was cars that drive so recklessly you’ll swear there’s a hidden camera crew somewhere filming a new Fast and Furious installment.
Unsurprisingly, its actions have caught the attention of federal regulators, who are concerned that the company might be giving people the power to make their self-driving cars ignore speed limits.
The company rolled out a firmware update for its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system that includes two new modes: “Sloth” and “Mad Max.” Sloth creeps along cautiously, while Mad Max throws caution to the wind.
Federal Regulators Are Looking Into Tesla’s ‘Mad Max’ Mode
Reuters reports that some Tesla owners say the Mad Max mode ignores speed limits. And, in case you missed it, Tesla just lost a wrongful death lawsuit worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
The lawsuit claims that a Tesla operating in Autopilot mode allegedly ran through a stop sign at 62 miles per hour. The car reportedly struck a couple that was stargazing on the side of the road, killing one and severely injuring the other.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, recently opened yet another investigation into Tesla’s FSD after dozens of reports of the system blowing through stop signs or drifting into oncoming lanes.
Now the agency wants details on Mad Max mode, saying it’s “in contact with the manufacturer to gather additional information.” The NHTSA also reminded everyone that, legally speaking, the “human behind the wheel is fully responsible.”
Critics, like attorney Brett Schreiber—the guy whose firm just won that wrongful death suit—say Tesla is “deliberately programming cars to exceed speed limits and drive aggressively,” accusing the company of prioritizing “aesthetics and sales over safety.”
This is what Elon Musk was talking about, so the appearance of being cool when you’re actually being extraordinarily dangerous and reckless with other people’s lives is par for the course.
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