Regulators probe Tesla’s Mad Max driving mode
Federal safety officials are investigating Tesla’s Mad Max driving mode after concerns that the software lets vehicles speed and change lanes too aggressively. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration asked the automaker for details about the feature, which appeared in a recent update to its Full Self-Driving system.
The agency wants to know if Mad Max encourages drivers to break traffic laws. Regulators are already examining nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles after complaints that cars were running red lights, which led to 14 crashes and 23 injuries.
Tesla brought back the Mad Max setting this month after testing it years earlier. Videos show cars using the mode exceeding speed limits and rolling through stop signs. The company pulled similar features in 2022 after a recall.
Insurance companies worry that naming schemes confuse drivers about who is in control of the car. Tesla labels its technology as Level 2 automation, meaning humans must stay alert and ready to take over. Claims grow more complicated when software contributes to accidents, insurers say.
