Tesla under investigation over Autopilot system

Tesla is under criminal investigation in the U.S. over the company’s claims that their cars can drive themselves.

It follows Tesla’s Autopilot system being activated in more than a dozen crashes, some fatal.

Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, has previously touted the Autopilot’s function as being “probably better” than a human driver.

Currently on the company’s website is a video that says “the person in the driver’s seat is only there for legal reasons. He is not doing anything. The car is driving itself.”

But the website also says whilst their Autopilot technology is designed to assist with steering, braking, speed and lane changes they say this still doesn’t make the vehicle autonomous.

Warnings such as this could complicate cases the Justice Department may wish to make.