Tesla would have to rein in FSD under a new Democratic bill

Tesla and other automakers operating on Level 2 and higher drive systems would be required to restrict their cars to specific types of roads or clearly defined operational areas under a new bill introduced today by Sen. Ed Markey (D) of Massachusetts.

Operational design domains, or ODDs, are the set of conditions, whether geographic or weather-related, under which an autonomous or partially autonomous vehicle can operate. Examples include maps of cities where Waymo’s Level 4 autonomous robotaxis operate, or highways where GM’s hands-free Super Cruise car could be used.

But the bill, called the Stay in Your Lane Act, appears to be mostly aimed at Tesla, which has enabled its customers to use its full self-driving system (supervised) on any road, including low-speed cities and residential neighborhoods, generally without restrictions. Under the bill, Tesla would be required to return the FSD’s operational range to a “safer” road environment determined by the company.

“Self-driving cars do not pose a threat in the distant future, they pose an urgent safety threat today,” Markey said in a statement. Edge. “Too often, some car companies roll out self-driving features without responsible restrictions on when and where they can be used, leading to avoidable injuries and deaths. Stay in your lane code It would help keep the public safe by ensuring that self-driving cars only operate in road conditions that the system is intelligent enough to handle.

Most Level 2 systems, such as GM’s Super Cruise or Ford’s BlueCruise, are limited to “preset routes where engineers have designed the technology to operate safely,” Markey’s office notes on one page on the bill. The bill would make this voluntary design decision a requirement for automakers working on the technology.

The legislation does not require NHTSA to undergo a lengthy rulemaking process. Instead, it creates “a clear legal requirement for manufacturers to define a safe operational design domain for their drive system, and to limit drive systems to that domain,” the one-page text explains. Under this authority, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) can investigate or fine companies that violate its operational design areas, or identify “too broadly” areas where the system can no longer operate safely.

As a Democratic-sponsored bill in the Republican-controlled Congress, Markey’s legislation is likely to face an uphill battle. However, if Democrats regain the majority after the midterm elections, the bill would likely face a smoother path to adoption.