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Tesla gets scathing criticism from NTSB Chair over FSD branding, driver monitoring: “It’s not enough”

Credit: Whole Mars Catalog/Twitter

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In a recent appearance at CNBC’s Squawk Box, NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy doubled down on her criticism of Tesla’s driver-assist systems. The head of the US National Transportation Safety Board’s recent comments came just a day after Homendy sent a letter to Tesla CEO Elon Musk about why the EV maker has not responded to recommendations issued by the NTSB years ago. 

Back in 2017, the NTSB issued two safety recommendations to Tesla following its investigation of a fatal Autopilot crash. The agency concluded that Autopilot did not effectively monitor the driver’s attention on the road, and thus, it recommended that Tesla should limit Autopilot. The NTSB also recommended that Tesla should implement better ways to determine a driver’s engagement. 

Tesla did not respond to the NTSB directly, but it did roll out numerous safety improvements to Autopilot in the form of more stringent driver monitoring checks, and more recently, the use of in-cabin cameras to determine if a driver is paying attention to the road. Yet in her appearance at CNBC’s Squawk Box, and even with the host highlighting a comment from CEO Elon Musk stating that FSD Beta users must be extremely vigilant at all times, Homendy was firm in her stance that Tesla was not doing enough. 

“That’s not enough. It’s clear that if you are marketing something as full self-driving and it is not full self-driving and people are misusing the vehicles and the technology that you have a design flaw, and you have to prevent that misuse. And part of that is how you talk about your technology. It’s not full self-driving. Unless you’re saying the driver is actually driving the car. Which in this case, it isn’t full self-driving technology. It’s misleading,” the NTSB head said. 

What is rather interesting was that the NTSB’s initial recommendations for Tesla from four years ago were for Autopilot’s driver monitoring systems. This has already been addressed by Tesla through a series of over-the-air updates, from higher frequencies of visual and audible alerts to the use of in-cabin cameras. Homendy’s recent issues also seem focused on the Full Self-Driving suite, which is not the same as the FSD Beta that is being expanded to a select group of Tesla owners today. FSD Beta is only given to drivers with high safety scores, while Full Self Driving is currently being sold as a bundle of features that could be purchased today, such as Summon and Navigate on Autopilot with Automatic Lane Changes. 

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What is even more interesting is that currently, there are over 38,000 Americans who die in automobile crashes per year, as per data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The CDC further notes that an additional 3 million people are injured or disabled annually as a result of automobile crashes. This is the issue that Tesla is trying to address with its Autopilot and FSD programs, and this is a rather grim statistic that is seemingly being ignored by the NTSB head so far. 

Check out the NTSB head’s segment in CNBC’s Squawk Box in the video below. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to tips@teslarati.com to give us a heads up. 

Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Lucid and Uber team with Nuro for new robotaxi program with Gravity SUV

The plan currently is to launch it to the public in the Bay later this year.

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Credit: Lucid

Lucid and Uber are teaming up with Nuro to launch an autonomous robotaxi program utilizing the automaker’s Gravity SUV. The project will be unveiled at CES 2026, introducing an in-cabin rider experience completely designed by Uber, the world’s largest ride-sharing service.

Back in 2025, the partnership between the three companies was announced, aiming to launch a unique ride-sharing platform using over 20,000 Lucid vehicles equipped with the Nuro Driver technology. The vehicles are owned and operated by Uber.

The companies have already initiated some testing in the San Francisco Bay Area, which is a big step in the right direction for the project. The plan currently is to launch it to the public in the Bay later this year. Nuro will lead the testing using robotaxi engineering prototypes that are supervised by autonomous vehicle operators.

Currently, there are over 100 robotaxis in the Engineering Test Fleet.

The Gravity vehicles are fitted with a next-gen sensor array featuring high-res cameras, solid-state LiDAR sensors, and radars that will provide a 360-perception model, as well as a “purpose-built roof-mounted halo designed to maximize sensor visibility,” which is seen on top of the Gravity unit above.

The halo also has integrated LEDs to help riders more easily identify the correct vehicle by displaying their initials. The halo will also provide clear status updates from pickup through dropoff.

These units for the robotaxi program between the three companies will start being produced later this year at Lucid’s Arizona AMP-1 factory.

Uber chose the Lucid Gravity specifically due to its “unprecedented comfort” and its reputation, as it was named to Car and Driver’s 10 Best for 2026. But Uber is customizing some things for the Gravity so that it is specifically catered to robotaxi riders:

  • For the first time, Uber is designing the in-vehicle rider experience, which will include interactive screens with entertainment and climate control options, as well as support contacts and vehicle maneuver requests, like a request to pull over.
  • It will also have in-vehicle visualization, showing what the robotaxi sees and its path in real-time. This will be a nice transition for those who are skeptical about driverless vehicles, and will show what the vehicle and its sensors, LiDAR, and cameras see.
  • The Gravity is also a sizeable SUV, which will give riders space for themselves and their luggage.

This is the latest application of a ride-hailing platform that leans on autonomy for its operation, essentially phasing out the need for human drivers in various markets, starting with the Bay Area.

More companies are dipping their toes in the project, giving them the opportunity to establish some early momentum, as there are only a handful of companies that are currently operating this in the United States. Uber, Lucid, and Nuro aim to be the next, and initiating this program at this time is big for their chance at success.

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Tesla Cybercab test fleet expands in Austin and Bay Area

In total, the Robotaxi fleet is comprised of 139 total vehicles in both Austin and the Bay Area. The vast majority of these units are Model Y cars, but the Cybercab is the most recent addition to the fleet. 

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Credit: Adan Guajardo

Tesla has expanded its fleet of Cybercab test units in both Austin and the Bay Area of California, as the vehicle is heading toward the first production stages, hopefully early this year.

As the first few units were spotted in Austin late last year, Tesla is now operating seven total Cybercab units in testing, three of which were spotted over the weekend in Texas. Bay Area testing just started on January 3, with both units also being added to the fleet on Saturday and Sunday.

In total, there are seven Cybercabs now operating, according to Robotaxi Tracker, each with different license plates that have been observed over the course of the last several weeks; the first unit was spotted in Austin on December 18.

The expansion of the Cybercab test fleet is a slow but steady process that Tesla is taking to get the car on public roads ahead of its initial production stages.

CEO Elon Musk said last week that Tesla has already started some test production phases of the vehicle at Gigafactory Texas, which is located outside of Austin.

Tesla Cybercab tests are going on overdrive with production-ready units

However, it will likely be some time before Tesla actually adds it to the fleet for rides that are available to the public. Tesla plans to build it without a steering wheel or pedals, so the company will have to reach Level 5 autonomy at that point before customers can hail rides and take it to their destination.

In total, the Robotaxi fleet is comprised of 139 total vehicles in both Austin and the Bay Area. The vast majority of these units are Model Y cars, but the Cybercab is the most recent addition to the fleet.

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Tesla Germany’s “Giga Train’s” improved service gets rave reviews

As per recent reports, Tesla’s free “train”Giga Train” service will increase its daily trips to six starting this week. 

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Credit: Jürgen Stegemann/LinkedIn

Tesla has expanded its employee shuttle service from Berlin Ostbahnhof East Station to the Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg. As per recent reports, Tesla’s free “train”Giga Train” service has increased its daily trips to six starting this week. 

The service has so far received positive reviews from the facility’s employees, some of whom noted that the upgraded shuttle train has reduced their travel time by a notable margin.

Giga Berlin’s expanded shuttle service

As noted in a rbb24 report, Giga Berlin’s free shuttle train now operates six times daily, up from one previously. The service also goes directly to the Model Y production facility without stopping at other stations. Tesla employee Dené Schunck described the service to rbb24 in a comment: “The shuttle goes directly to the factory site, without any transfers, which reduces the commute time for our employees by almost half,” Schunck stated. 

Operated by Ostdeutsche Eisenbahngesellschaft (Odeg) after switching from Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn (NEB), Giga Berlin’s shuttle train, which also stops at Ostkreuz and Erkner, remains free for all riders, including non-Tesla employees. It has been fully funded by Tesla Germany since September 2023.

Employees praised the changes: One Giga Berlin worker stated that it “definitely makes the journey easier” because employees “used to need two hours for the round trip from Berlin, but now it’s significantly faster.”

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Tesla Germany’s previous comments

In late 2025, reports emerged stating that Tesla Germany will be expanding its shuttle train service by adding direct rail trips from Berlin Ostbahnhof to Giga Berlin-Brandenburg. In a comment, Tesla Germany stated that the updated service would mirror the shift changes for the Model Y factory’s employees.

“The service includes six daily trips, which also cover our shift times. The trains will run between Berlin Ostbahnhof (with a stop at Ostkreuz) and Erkner station to the Gigafactory,” Tesla Germany noted. 

At the time, Tesla Germany also stated that despite construction being done at Fangschleuse and Köpenick stations, the route of the Giga Train has been optimized to maintain a predictable 35-minute travel time. This should provide Tesla Germany’s employees with a convenient way to travel to and from Giga Berlin. 

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