Crash spurs criticism of on-the-road testing

Tesla Motors says the self-driving feature suspected of being involved in a May 7 fatal crash is experimental, yet it's been installed on all 70,000 of its cars since October 2014.

For groups that have lobbied for stronger safety rules, that's precisely what's wrong with U.S. regulators' increasingly anything-goes approach.

"Allowing automakers to do their own testing, with no specific guidelines, means consumers are going to be the guinea pigs in this experiment," said Jackie Gillan, president for Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, a longtime Washington consumer lobbyist who has helped shape numerous auto-technology mandates. "This is going to happen again and again and again."

Tesla's use of technology still in development, while common in its Silicon Valley home, contrasts with the cautious method of General Motors and other automakers that have restricted their semi-autonomous cars to test tracks and professional drivers. It's permitted because U.S. regulators have taken an intentionally light approach to encourage innovation.