Tesla provided self-published and inflated safety statistics for its "Full Self-Driving" (FSD) system to regulators in Sweden and the Netherlands as it sought European approval, Reuters reported based on public records requests.
The company's lobbying efforts included a claim that FSD could have "saved 32,000 lives." Independent researchers have challenged this figure, stating it relies on the unrealistic assumption that all vehicles in the U.S., encompassing freight trucks and motorcycles, would be replaced by FSD-equipped Teslas.
The correspondence obtained by Reuters indicates Tesla directly presented these statistics to government officials in these European nations. This presentation of data occurred during Tesla's lobbying activities aimed at securing regulatory clearance for its autonomous driving technology within the European market.
The specific nature of the "inflated" statistics and the "absurd assumption" were detailed in the obtained documents, highlighting a discrepancy between Tesla's presented figures and independent analyses.
Sources and references
Original report
Tesla presented misleading ‘Full Self-Driving’ safety data to European regulators
Electrek
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