Key Points From the Tesla Data Leak

A data leak containing thousands of internal Tesla documents outlining safety complaints with the company’s automated driving technology shows that problems may be more widespread than previously thought, according to an article by Russ Mitchell in the Los Angeles Times.

The leaked files “spotlight Tesla’s attempts to keep safety complaints secret and what appears to be a strategy to limit customer communications that might end up in lawsuits,” Mitchell writes, highlighting four key points from the first article published about the leak in the German newspaper Handelsblatt. The documents, which include thousands of customers complaints about Tesla vehicles, reveal a systematic effort to avoid communicating with customers in writing, with the company advising employees explicitly, “Do not copy and paste the report below into an email, text message, or leave it in a voicemail to the customer.” 

Tesla has also historically tried to prevent customers from publicizing their complaints. “As far back as 2016, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had to announce that customers were allowed to publicize safety issues after reports that Tesla was requiring customers to sign nondisclosure agreements to qualify for warranty repairs on problematic Model S suspension systems.”

The leaked documents could become evidence in lawsuits against the company “and could prompt state and federal regulators to finally take action,” says Mitchell. Tesla is already under investigation by the federal government and came under fire in California for using the term “Full Self-Driving,” which can be misleading to consumers.