Will Tesla welcome significant benefits? Trump's team plans to abolish autonomous driving accident reporting
Tesla's stock closed up 4.34% on Friday, reaching $436.23, close to its all-time high. The Trump team may cancel the regulation requiring automakers to report accidents involving advanced driver-assistance systems, which would benefit Tesla as it reports the most driver-assistance accidents. Tesla plans to launch a self-driving taxi service in 2025, and analysts believe this will present significant market opportunities. Tesla also launched a new feature in China called "Smart Summon," further advancing the development of autonomous driving technology
According to Zhitong Finance APP, Tesla (TSLA.US) stock closed up 4.34% on Friday, reaching $436.23, close to its all-time high. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 index was essentially flat, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell slightly by 0.1%.
According to foreign media reports, Trump may cancel the requirement for automakers to report accidents involving advanced driver assistance systems (such as adaptive cruise control). This policy was established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and aims to strengthen safety monitoring of autonomous driving and driver assistance systems by mandating timely collection of key data through mandatory reporting.
In response to related comments, NHTSA stated: "This general order is a pioneering tool that allows for the timely collection of accident data involving advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving systems (ADS) vehicles, including heavy trucks equipped with ADS technology. This requirement significantly enhances NHTSA's oversight capability regarding safety defects, enabling it to be informed of potential safety issues within a day."
Tesla has greatly benefited from this policy, as it reported the most driver assistance accidents. Tesla vehicles automatically collect relevant data through connected vehicle technology and have reported nearly 1,600 related incidents to NHTSA. In contrast, Honda, which ranks second, has reported just over 100 incidents, of which about 1,450 reports came from Tesla's connected vehicle data, accounting for approximately 70% of the NHTSA database.
Although the database itself has limited direct impact on Tesla's stock price, the market may view this as a signal of the Trump administration's friendlier stance towards emerging driving technologies. Tesla plans to launch a fully autonomous taxi service in 2025. Wedbush analyst Dan Ives noted in a report that services like autonomous taxis could bring Tesla trillions of dollars in market opportunities.
Additionally, Tesla launched a new feature called "Smart Summon" in China on Friday. Reportedly, this autonomous driving feature allows owners to remotely summon their vehicles in parking lots or private driveways, adding a highlight to its autonomous driving technology development.
Despite the exciting future for Tesla, Wall Street analysts remain cautious about the continued rise in its stock price. Currently, only 44% of analysts give a "buy" rating, with an average target price of $275.62, which is 34% lower than the current level. However, Wedbush analysts are more optimistic, predicting that Tesla's market value could reach $2 trillion by the end of 2025. They pointed out that "full self-driving (FSD), autonomous driving technology, and the launch of Cybercab in early 2026 are key to Tesla's future growth."