Missy Cummings, who spent more than a year at the federal auto safety agency, said that drivers were putting too much trust in systems like Tesla’s Autopilot and that regulators needed to restrict their use.
A regulatory filing says officials have asked about software that Elon Musk, the chief executive, has said would allow cars to operate autonomously.
Mining in parts of the Pacific Ocean was meant to benefit poor countries, but an international agency gave a Canadian company access to prized seabed sites with metals crucial to the green energy revolution.
Enforcement could be complex and legal challenges are likely. But ultimately, experts say, success or failure will depend on steady supply and buyers’ appetite.
The move to phase out gasoline-powered cars, with other states expected to follow, matches automakers’ plans. The challenge will be making it happen.
NHTSA will take a broad look at whether the electric carmaker’s driver-assistance system can increase the risk of crashes.
Automakers and technology companies say they are making driving safer, but verifying these claims is difficult.
The regulator questioned whether the Tesla chief executive had disclosed his stake at the right time.
Rates have jumped because of a surge in natural gas prices and could keep rising rapidly for years as utilities invest in electric grids.
The state is expected to write strict auto pollution standards designed to significantly speed the transition to electric vehicles and influence new federal rules.
