Tesla, Public or Private, Still Will Release Autopilot Safety Data
Even as CEO Elon Musk pursues the idea of taking Tesla private, the electric automaker has confirmed that it still plans to release safety data on its Autopilot semi-autonomous driving feature.
The safety of Autopilot, which can steer and adjust a car’s speed on the freeway, came under sharp scrutiny this spring after a Tesla Model X SUV running on Autopilot slammed into a freeway divider in Mountain View, killing the occupant. Musk insisted that in spite of the crash, Autopilot improves safety, and he said the Palo Alto, Calif., company would start issuing quarterly reports of its own internal data this year to prove it.
Musk last week stunned Tesla investors by saying he was considering taking the company private, a move that would reduce the amount of information a business must make public each quarter. But the company confirmed Aug. 15 that it plans to issue an Autopilot safety report this quarter.
