Tesla has no plans to disable Autopilot feature: Musk

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said his company has no plans to disable its Autopilot feature in the wake of a fatal accident in which the driver of a Model S car was using the technology, The Wall Street Journal reported. "A lot of people don't understand what it is and how you turn it on," Musk said. He stressed that the company has labelled the technology a "beta" or advanced testing version to indicate that it has not been perfected. "It says beta specifically so people do not become complacent," he added. This statement comes as the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigates the fatal crash, publishing on Tuesday a detailed set of questions for Tesla regarding its Autopilot system, with an emphasis on the emergency braking function.

Even as federal safety officials step up their investigation of the fatal crash of a driver operating a Tesla car with its Autopilot system engaged, the company continues to defend the self-driving technology as safe when properly used.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday released a detailed set of questions for the carmaker about its automated driving system, particularly the emergency braking function.

The Autopilot system has been the subject of a federal investigation since regulators revealed in late June that the driver of a Tesla Model S sedan, Joshua Brown, was killed on May 7 when his vehicle crashed into a tractor-trailer in Florida.

The Autopilot feature was engaged at the time, Tesla has said, but neither the automatic braking system nor Mr. Brown applied the brakes before the car hit the trailer at 65 miles an hour.