Regulatory agencies are currently looking into an autopilot introduced by electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla.
Media outlet Bild am Sonntag, has reported that the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (Federal Motor Transport Authority) is currently investigating Tesla’s autopilot feature.
Tesla recently introduced the automated lane changing system, known as Autopilot, in a bid to make its vehicles even more efficient.
However, the German regulatory agency is currently looking at the feature to determine if it is safe to use on German roads. The report added that the authorities are in talks with their counterparts in The Netherlands regarding the recent upgrade.
The Netherlands' vehicle agency is responsible for approving vehicle use across Europe. At the moment, there are no comments from Tesla or the German Federal Motor Transport Authority.
This latest development is not an isolated incidence, with Tesla's latest feature facing increasing scrutiny around the world following a series of fatal accidents.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the United States began its second investigation into a potential Autopilot fault last week. This comes following complaints from users of phantom breaking when at high speed.
The shares of Tesla are down by more than 2% since the US market opened a few hours ago. At press time, TSLA is trading at $856.98 as it has lost more than 19 points so far today.
The company's stock price has massively underperformed since the start of the year. Year-to-date, TSLA has lost over 28% of its value. It began the year trading around $1,200 per share but currently stands around $850 per share.
Last month, the German Federal Motor Transport Authority launched a separate investigation into possible safety risks of the touchscreen in the center console of various Tesla models. If the investigations continue, Tesla's shares could suffer further losses over the coming weeks and months.
