The U.S. wants Tesla to disclose information on the camera used in the Autopilot probe

As part of an investigation into 830,000 Tesla vehicles equipped with the company's Autopilot advanced driving assistance system, U.S. auto safety inspectors questioned Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) on Thursday about an in-car camera used to check driver attentiveness.

After identifying a dozen collisions between Tesla vehicles and stopped emergency vehicles, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is examining the performance of Autopilot.

In June, it elevated its probe to an engineering analysis, a crucial step prior to requesting a recall.

The nine-page letter from the NHTSA requests a response from Tesla by October 12 outlining "the function that the Cabin Camera plays in enforcing driver engagement/attention."

According to Tesla, the cabin camera, which is located above the rearview mirror, can identify driver inattention and provide audible reminders to keep the driver's eyes on the road when Autopilot is on.

The NHTSA wanted evidence addressing the "impact on driver engagement alert types and timing" as well as "recoverable data elements suggesting its influence."

The agency demanded an explanation for "design judgments" on driver engagement enforcement, including data justifying the length of time a driver's hands may be off the steering wheel before receiving a warning.

The regulator is investigating whether Tesla vehicles properly ensure driver attentiveness. In June, the regulator reported that information suggested that drivers in the majority of crashes under examination had cooperated with Tesla's alert technique, casting doubt on its effectiveness.

In response to a request for comment, Tesla, which has dissolved its press department, declined to comment.

Late in 2021, Consumer Reports decided that Tesla's driver attention monitoring camera was insufficient to verify that the driver was paying full attention when using Autopilot and Full Self Driving (FSD) capabilities.

According to the article, disabling the cabin camera would not prompt the vehicle to transmit a warning, slow down, or shut down its systems.

Consumer Reports noted in June that the company had implemented an over-the-air update that issues a warning when the camera is obstructed when FSD is enabled, but not when Autopilot is active.

Autopilot is designed to allow vehicles to steer, accelerate, and brake automatically inside their lane, whereas FSD enables vehicles to obey traffic signals and change lanes.

In addition to the defect inquiry, the NHTSA has started 38 special investigations into crashes involving Tesla vehicles in which Autopilot or other sophisticated systems were suspected to be in use since 2016. In these Tesla-related investigations, 19 deaths have been recorded in total.

Separately, the California Department of Transportation has accused Tesla of exaggerating its autonomous vehicle control capabilities.

In paperwork filed with the state and made public on Thursday, Tesla claimed that it demands a hearing and intends to present a defense.

The California Department of Motor Automobiles is pursuing remedies, which may include suspending Tesla's license to sell vehicles in the state and mandating that the company pay drivers.