Regulators Investigate Tesla’s “Mad Max” Self-Driving Driving Mode that Intentionally Weaves, Takes Risks and Ignores Speed Limits

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is asking Tesla for additional information about a new driving mode dubbed ‘Mad Max,’ which the company advertises as driving “through traffic at an incredible pace, all while still being super smooth.” 

As Jonathan M. Gitlin notes in an article in Ars Technica, the company claims “It drives your car like a sports car. If you are running late, this is the mode for you.” In other words, “It speeds and swerves through traffic to get you to your destination faster,” engaging in potentially dangerous behavior. 

According to an article on SiliconValley,com, the newest firmware update also took away a driver’s ability to set a top speed in full self-driving mode (FSD). “Now, your speed depends entirely on the mode you choose, and the only mode that stays within the speed limit is Sloth, a term that strikes me as derogatory, as if obeying the speed limit is sloth-like. Even Chill is likely to take you above the limit, albeit by just a couple of miles per hour. But when I put my car on Standard, a word that implies the recommended setting for typical usage, the car exceeds the speed limit by enough to trigger a ticket.” 

The NHTSA recently opened another investigation into Tesla due to complaints that cars operating FSD ran stop signs or drove into oncoming traffic.