Tesla's 2016 video on self-driving tech was staged, says engineer

Tesla is in trouble. A 2016 video by Tesla showcasing its self-driving technology came into question after a senior engineer's testimony claimed the video was staged.

The video, still available on Tesla's website, shows a car navigating itself while the driver is seen "not doing anything." Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, touted the video, which is still stored on the company's website, on Twitter in October 2016 as proof that "Tesla drives itself."

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However, Ashok Elluswamy, the Director of Tesla's Autopilot Software, said in a deposition the video doesn't accurately portray what was seen.

The engineer detailed how the video was produced and said the car seen parking itself had crashed into the fence at the parking lot when the driver wasn't present.

The video was staged to promote Tesla's self-driving technology to demonstrate features that the system lacked, such as the ability to accelerate at a green light and stop at a red one, said the engineer.

Watch |World Business Watch | Tesla under investigation: Video on self-driving staged, testifies engineer

The deposition was taken as part of a lawsuit against Tesla over a 2018 Silicon Valley freeway crash that killed an Apple engineer.

Tesla is currently under investigation by the justice department and regulators with the securities and exchange commission over self-driving claims surrounding its autopilot system.

Elon Musk's attempts to promote the self-driving features of Tesla have backfired, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is also investigating whether the car makers' "full-self driving" feature might be the cause of several accidents.

For the first time, a Tesla employee has confirmed and explained how the video was made, something that has gone unreported previously.

Elluswamy, Musk, and Tesla did not respond to a Reuters request for comments.

However, Tesla has advised drivers that while using Autopilot, they must keep their hands on the wheel and remain in control of their vehicles, in what is seen as the company backing away from its previous claims of safety.

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