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— Tesla’s Autopilot system was partially at fault for a crash in California last year, according to a final report from NTSB on Wednesday.
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— The NTSB is ramping up its investigation of a California boat fire, which killed 34 people on Monday.
— An FAA rule creating a long-awaited pilot records database is heading to OMB for review.
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NTSB BLAMES AUTOPILOT FOR TESLA CRASH: The safety agency faulted Tesla’s Autopilot system, as well as the driver’s inattention, for a crash in Culver City, Calif., last year. Pros can read our coverage and the NTSB’s full report.
It’s the second time the agency has noted an issue with the design of Tesla’s Autopilot system. But Tesla hasn’t been responsive to the NTSB’s attempts to find out more. The agency said in its report on Wednesday that after issuing a safety recommendation in response to a May 2016 Tesla crash, it heard back from five other manufacturers about their semi-autonomous features — but not the electric vehicle company. “All manufacturers except Tesla have responded to the NTSB explaining their current systems and their efforts to reduce misuse and keep drivers engaged, including consideration for improving driver monitoring techniques,” the report said.
The failure to engage comes as Tesla has also ignored requests from NHTSA to stop making what the highway regulator called misleading claims about safety. Tesla didn’t respond to a request for comment about the claims.
Meanwhile, the Center for Auto Safety said that in light of the report’s findings, Teslas should be recalled. “NTSB has done its job by thoroughly investigating this technology and this crash. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration must also now do its job and recall these vehicles,” the group said in a statement on Wednesday.
TESLA RESPONDS: The company told POLITICO in a statement that its data, based on billions of miles using Autopilot, indicates that “drivers using Autopilot remain safer than those operating without assistance.” A spokesperson also said Tesla has introduced “numerous” updates since the crash, “including adjusting the time intervals between hands-on warnings and the conditions under which they’re activated.”
ONE MORE TESLA NOTE: The manufacturer has new competition in the high-performance electric car category: Porsche launched its first EV, the $150,000 Taycan, which a Bloomberg headline says is “aimed right at Tesla.”
TRUMP, GM MEETING TODAY: General Motors CEO Mary Barra will sit down with President Donald Trump at the White House this afternoon. They plan to discuss issues including trade, ongoing contract talks and vehicle fuel efficiency standards, Reuters reported.
COMPANIES PROMISE ACTION ON HOT CAR DEATHS: As safety advocates and members of Congress push for automakers to do more to prevent the deaths of children left in hot cars, two groups of manufacturers said Wednesday they’re voluntarily agreeing to equip all new cars with alert systems to remind drivers to check their back seats. They’ll use a “combination of auditory and visual alerts” that will activate after drivers turn off their vehicles.
Our Tanya Snyder reports that the agreement from the Auto Alliance and Global Automakers earned praise from House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders, but those lawmakers also cautioned that voluntary commitments don’t always lead to meaningful action. Reps. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) said they will still pursue legislation that “requires these companies to take the necessary steps to protect children and holds the companies accountable.” Groups including Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety and KidsAndCars.org aren’t satisfied either, with the latter calling the agreement “inadequate.”
BOAT FIRE INVESTIGATION COMES INTO FOCUS: The NTSB is ramping up its investigation of a boat fire off the coast of California on Monday that killed 34 people, making it the deadliest transportation accident in more than a decade. Board member Jennifer Homendy, who’s leading the investigative team in Santa Barbara, said at a press briefing on Wednesday evening that the agency has formed four groups to focus on operations, engineering, survival factors, and fire safety.
NTSB has started interviewing the vessel’s owner and operator and surviving crew members, including the captain. “I’d characterize those interviews as very cooperative. They are lengthy, multihour detailed interviews,” Homendy said. She also toured a similar ship owned by the same company, Truth Aquatics, and met with the victims’ families. Teams are documenting the wreckage, which is in about 60 feet of water, and federal investigators have asked for various types of documents from the company.
Coast Guard Captain Jason Neubauer said the vessel wasn’t required to have a sprinkler system. He also said alcohol testing on the surviving crew members has come back negative, and the company isn’t currently operating the two other boats it owns.
PILOT RECORDS RULE HEADS TO OMB: The FAA has sent a long-awaited proposed rule that would create a congressionally mandated pilot records database to OMB for review, our Brianna Gurciullo reports. She writes: “The mandate, still outstanding, is one of the final changes lawmakers required in response to the 2009 Colgan Air crash outside Buffalo, N.Y. The database has been in beta testing, but family members of victims on board the plane and lawmakers have put pressure on the FAA to implement it completely.”
THE LATEST CHATTER ON BOEING’S MAX TIMELINE: A Southwest Airlines executive on Wednesday said the carrier is anticipating the grounded Boeing 737 MAX will be cleared to fly in early to mid-November, according to Bloomberg.
DRONES AND WOLVERINES: A drone was flown over Michigan Stadium during a University of Michigan football game last weekend, leading to two arrests, according to the Detroit News. It’s illegal to fly drones on the university’s campus, and the stadium also falls within a five-mile radius of the Ann Arbor Airport. Drones flying over heavily populated areas, in particular stadiums, is an increasing concern for federal and local authorities, and the Michigan arrests follow recent incidents at sporting events in Boston and California.
A MILESTONE FOR HIGH-SPEED RAIL IN TEXAS: Texas Central, which is developing high-speed rail between Houston and Dallas, announced Wednesday that the FRA approved a petition for a rulemaking to issue a Rule of Particular Applicability. According to the company, the RPA is “a comprehensive set of custom rules that will be applicable specifically to Texas Central and used to govern the railroad’s system and operations.” Texas Central CEO Carlos Aguilar called the decision a “major milestone.” The petition was filed more than three years ago in April 2016.
NOT WORKING 9 TO 5: More than 17 percent of the workforce in metropolitan areas across the country works a late shift, and they face difficulties accessing public transit, according to a new report from the American Public Transportation Association. The organization calls for policymakers to create funding programs dedicated specifically to funding late shift public transit operations, as well as investing in state of good repair, which limits the need for large windows of time needed for maintenance and inspections at night.
For the transit sector in general, credit rating agency Moody’s issued a new report that the largest mass transit systems in the country are continuing to show strong revenues from state and local government funding and regional taxes, mitigating the losses that come from falling ridership due to factors like ride sharing, bike sharing, electric scooters and telecommuting.
— “Source: White House may split California attack from rest of auto rule.” POLITICO Pro.
— “US offers cash to tanker captains in bid to seize Iranian ships.” Financial Times.
— “14 women have filed a lawsuit against Lyft accusing the company of not addressing a ‘sexual predator crisis’ among drivers.” Business Insider.
— “California boat crew member who died was in dream job.” Associated Press.
— “EU regulators try to catch flying cars.” POLITICO Europe.
DOT appropriations run out in 26 days. The FAA reauthorization expires in 1,488 days. Highway and transit policy is up for renewal in 393 days.
