In January, Tesla disclosed that the Justice Department had requested documents related to its Autopilot and “Full Self-Driving” features.
Both features are classified as driver-assist systems, and the company says on its website that the vehicles cannot drive themselves.
For the first time, Tesla said in its filing that the investigations could damage the company's brand.
Disclosing that vehicle range is under scrutiny “also reflects a concern about the company's representations about vehicle features,” said Frenkel, now a partner with Dickinson Wright in Washington.
It's unclear if Tesla merely considered subpoenas as requests for information in prior quarterly disclosures, Frenkel said.
Persons:
Tesla, Elon Musk, ”, Erik Gordon, Gordon, Jacob Frenkel, “, Frenkel, Dickinson Wright, ” Frenkel, Musk
Organizations:
DETROIT, —, Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Justice, Justice Department, University of Michigan, DOJ, SEC, U.S . National, Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, Auto, Transportation Safety
Locations:
Austin , Texas, Washington, Austin, Florida, California