The head of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has called Tesla’s use of the name Full Self-Driving (FSD) for its driver-assist technology as “irresponsible.”
Jennifer Homendy made the comments to the Wall Street Journal in a story published on Sunday. Homendy criticized Tesla and said the automaker needs to address major safety concerns with its driver-assist technology before using the FSD name.
The criticism didn’t stop there with Homendy calling the use of the name “misleading and irresponsible.” She added that it has led to drivers abusing the technology.
Homendy is quickly making a name for herself as a Tesla critic. She became chair of the NTSB just last month on August 13. Tesla came up in her very first interview where she she questioned the automaker’s honesty and intentions (via Bloomberg).
“Whether it’s Tesla or anyone else, it is incumbent on these manufacturers to be honest in what their technology does and does not do. We are in a time of transformational change. But you know, I hear a lot about innovation and a lot about investment. I’m not hearing a lot about safety. That’s where we come in. Safety has to be the driver. That’s our role.”
The NTSB chair appears to have missed the part of Tesla’s website, and the countless times CEO Elon Musk has said “the safety of our customers is our top priority.”
The criticism comes at a time when Tesla is facing an investigation from another U.S. government agency. Last month the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into multiple cases of Teslas crashing into first responder vehicles parked on the side of the road.
