The Week in Tesla News: Unintended Acceleration Alleged, Michigan Sales Settlement Nigh and Cybertruck T-Shirts

Besides the number of crashes that may or may not be related to Autopilot, Tesla’s sounds-like-but-isn’t-fully-autonomous technology (it’s currently semi-autonomous), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration may begin another investigation into the safety of Teslas. At the same time, Tesla and Michigan may have reached an agreement that could affect how the luxury electric automaker is allowed to operate in the state. And if throwing $100 at a Cybertruck reservation wasn’t enough, Tesla is now selling T-shirts depicting one of the funniest moments of the truck’s reveal: when a metal ball was thrown right through the “ballistic glass” window.

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Let’s take a more detailed look at these stories from the week in Tesla news.

New Federal Crash Probe Pending

 An independent investor has petitioned NHTSA to investigate consumer reports of experiencing unintended acceleration while driving a Tesla. The agency hasn’t determined yet whether to open a formal probe, but the issue is already somewhat controversial. The investor is currently “shorting” his Tesla stock, which critics claim is the real reason for his petition; for his part, the investor says his petition was motivated by the story of a woman who claims to have experienced the acceleration issue once, was not given a timely service appointment and then experienced it again, that time resulting in a crash.

Tesla denies the claims and says from its research that reported incidents it has investigated have shown to be the result of driver error. If the agency decides to open a formal investigation, it could affect more than half a million Tesla vehicles.

Michigan Sales Would Bring Service Convenience

Since 2014, when then-Gov. Rick Snyder of Michigan signed a law banning direct sales of vehicles to consumers, Tesla has been working to challenge the law and find a solution that allows it to operate effectively in the Mitten State. Now, rumors are floating around that an agreement could be announced as soon as Wednesday.

Because of the law, Tesla operates one display-only “gallery” in the suburbs of Detroit and has no service centers for owners who live in Michigan. Owners have had to travel to either Cleveland or Columbus, Ohio, to have their Teslas serviced. Other states, like Texas and Connecticut, have similar laws in place.

Tesla Model T-Shirt

For $45 — before taxes and shipping — you, too, can remind everyone of the time a prototype Tesla Cybertruck had its windows broken on stage as part of a public demonstration of how strong the glass was supposed to be. The “Bulletproof” tee Tesla is selling features a depiction of broken glass on the front and the Cybertruck logo and silhouette on the back.

Why Tesla would want to remind you of a failed demonstration is anyone’s guess, but this may be just an attempt at being in on the funny joke and Definitely Not Mad at All. (Personally, I think it would be useful for emergency responders as a reminder about how to rescue someone from a crashed Cybertruck.)

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