A Washington Post report revealed that Tesla CEO Elon Musk became so irate after he learned auto regulators were investigating the software that led to a 2016 crash when the "driver-assistance" software crashed into a tractor-trailer going 70 mph.
California prosecutors also filed charges against Tesla and the driver with two counts of vehicular manslaughter. In the 2019 incident, the autopilot ran a red light, hitting a car that killed two people.
"When National Highway Traffic Safety Administration officials called Tesla executives to say they were launching an investigation, Musk screamed, protested and threatened to sue," the Washington Post reported, citing a former safety official.
The story explained that the regulators knew that Musk had impulsivity issues. Once Musk had cooled down, he agreed to cooperate. Officials learned the only way to work with the Tesla CEO was to manipulate him with "pressure, flattery and threats." Otherwise, he was less likely to comply with federal safety laws, six former regulators said.
"In the past six months, Tesla has issued at least a dozen voluntary recalls, a dramatic turnaround for a company known to quietly issue software updates direct to cars — without alerting the public — to fix sometimes alarming safety problems," said the report.
Some of the people who have used driver-assistance features in Tesla found that the car slammed on the breaks for no reason or didn't stop at stop signs. Cars have crashed into parked emergency vehicles. Car batteries have exploded in crashes and even when parked.
Without such flattery, it's unclear whether Musk would cooperate or the ordeal would end with lawsuits and courts to get the software to comply with safety standards.
There would be a fine or mandatory recall if there was no cooperation, but the fines are $23,000 per day."The threat of fines — which can add up to nearly $115 million — generally works with traditional companies," said the officials. With a CEO who is among the wealthiest in the world, he can afford for the ego to come first.
Read the full report at the Washington Post.
