How Elon Musk’s crusade against the government could benefit Tesla

Even before Trump took up his duties, there were signs that Musk’s vast influence on the new administration was part of the public – and slope of dividends for Tesla.

Tesla’s shares have jumped more than 60% by December. Since then, its stock market has dropped, but remains 40% higher than before the Trump elections.

“For Musk,” said Ives, the technological analyst, “betting on Trump is a poker movement for ages.”

The White House did not answer questions about how it would manage surveys and government surveillance involving Tesla or other muscles companies. A spokesperson for the transitional team said last month that the White House would ensure that Doge and “those involved therein complies with all legal guidelines and conflicts of interest”.

In the weeks preceding the creation of Trump on January 20, the transitional team of the elected president recommended modifications which would benefit the billionaire and his car company, in particular by removing the federal order obliging the manufacturers to report Crash data involving autonomous and partially automated technology.

The action would be a boon for Tesla, who reported a large majority of accidents that have sparked a series of surveys and reminders.

The transition team also recommended that a consumer tax credit of $ 7,500 for electric vehicle purchases, which Musk, has been called publicly.

“Remove the subsidies. It will only help Tesla, ”wrote Musk A post on x While campaigning and collected funds for Trump in July.

Experts from the automotive industry say that this decision would have a nominal impact on Tesla – by far the largest manufacturer of electric vehicles in the United States – but has a potentially devastating impact on its competitors in the electric vehicle sector because they still find it difficult to ensure the goal on the market on the market.

Musk did not respond to requests for comments. Before the elections, he published a message on X, saying that he had never asked Trump “for favors, and he did not offer me.”

Although most of the changes that Musk can look for for Tesla can take place quickly, there is a long -term goal that could have an impact on the autonomous vehicle industry for the decades to come.

Although nearly 30 states have rules that go to autonomous cars specifically, the federal government has not yet drawn up such regulations.

During a call at the end of October with Tesla investors, while Musk was pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into the Trump campaign, he reported the federal government’s support to create these rules.

“There should be a federal approval process for autonomous vehicles,” Musk said during the call. “If there is a government ministry, I will try to help get there.”

Musk leads this same organization.

People whose life has been changed forever by Tesla is crashing that dangerous and fatal accidents increase if the powers of investigation and recall of the federal government are restricted.

They say they fear that the company will never be held responsible for its failures, like the one who took the life of Naibel Benavides Leon, 22 years old.

The student was at an appointment with her boyfriend, looking at the stars on the side of a rural road from Florida, when they were struck by a Tesla out of control on the automatic driver – a system that allows cars Tesla to operate without driver enter. The car had exploded a shutdown, a flashing light and five yellow warning panels, depending on the Dashcam video and a police report.

Benavids Leon died on the scene; His boyfriend, Dillon Angulo, was injured but survived. A federal survey determined that the automatic pilot in Teslas at that time was defective and needed repairs.

“We, as a family, have never been the same,” said Benavids Leon’s sister Neima. “I am an engineer, and everything we design and build must be by important codes and regulations. This technology cannot be an exception. »»

“This must be studied in case of failure,” she added. “Because it fails.”

Tesla lawyers did not respond to requests for comments. In a report on Twitter in December 2023, Tesla underlined a previous trial that Benavids Leon’s family brought against the driver who struck the student. He testified that despite the use of the automatic pilot, “I was very aware that it was always my responsibility for driving the vehicle safely.”

Tesla also said that the driver “pressed the accelerator to maintain 60 MPH”, an action that actually canceled the automatic pilot, which would have otherwise restricted the speed to 45 mph on the rural road, which Benavides Benavides has Leon lawyer’s disputes.

The federal agency that has the most power in Tesla – and the entire automotive industry – is the National Road Safety Administrationwhich is part of the Ministry of Transport.