U.S. Department of Justice investigates Tesla's self-driving technology, could face criminal charges

Tesla faces a criminal investigation in the United States over possible violations of the law in its description of its electric self-driving cars.

People familiar with the matter said that Tesla vehicles have been involved in some crashes, some resulting in deaths, which were related to Tesla's driver assistance system Autopilot; the U.S. Department of Justice launched an investigation into these accidents last year, but did not disclose them.

Tesla touted Apopilot's capabilities in marketing materials as early as 2016. In a conference call that year, Musk claimed that Autopilot might be better than a human driver.

Last week, Musk said that Tesla may soon launch an upgraded version of Full Self-Driving software, which is so powerful that it can take users to work, a friend's house, and the grocery store without even touching the steering wheel. .

A video on Tesla's website this year said: "There is someone in the driver's seat who is just sitting there for legal reasons. He doesn't have to do anything and the car drives itself."

Still, Tesla warned drivers that they must keep their hands on the steering wheel and take control of the car when using Autopilot. Tesla claims that Autopilot is designed to assist driving, not to allow the car to drive on its own.

Tesla’s various warnings could complicate the Justice Department’s prosecution, people familiar with the matter said.

The Justice Department investigation could mean Tesla faces greater scrutiny than ever before, and the company or its executives could face criminal charges. Justice Department prosecutors in Washington and San Francisco are likely to examine whether Tesla misled customers, investors and regulators when describing the capabilities of its assisted-driving technology that the system did not support.

Officials involved in the investigation may ultimately seek criminal charges, civil sanctions, or take no action. Of course, the Justice Department will face many difficulties in its investigation, because Tesla has warned users not to rely too much on Autopilot.