• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Germany’s Transport Ministry Denies It Is Investigating Tesla

By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 8, 2016, 12:54 PM ET
Photograph by John Leyba Denver Post via Getty Images

Germany’s Transport Ministry denied a report on Friday that it was investigating Tesla Motors for updating driving assistance software without informing authorities, but said it was “clarifying technical issues” on the matter.

German magazine Der Spiegel reported, without citing a source, that there were indications that Tesla (TSLA) uploaded new software features to a driving assistance system which had not been examined for security during regular approval proceedings.

It added the ministry therefore launched an investigation.

“The report is incorrect,” a ministry spokesman said. “There are no investigation proceedings against Tesla.

“We are clarifying the technical issues,” the ministry spokesman added. “At the moment, it is a normal gathering of information on the status quo between the car watchdog and the ministry.”

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

The Der Spiegel report, released on Friday ahead of the magazine’s publication on Saturday, said the driving assistance system in question was a device designed for regulating car overtaking maneuvers.

If the suspicions were confirmed, Tesla could lose type approval for its Model S vehicles, meaning they would be banned from the roads, the report said.

Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said last year during a visit in Berlin that he viewed Germany as the next most important market for his company after the United States.

In 2015, Tesla sold 1,582 Model S cars in Germany, Europe’s largest car market.

The magazine added that Tesla had applied for type approval in the Netherlands and therefore only the Dutch authorities could withdraw the approval for the European market again.

For more about Tesla, watch:

A spokeswoman for Tesla Germany was not immediately available to comment.

The magazine said it had put the allegations to Tesla but did not get a comment from the U.S. company before its editorial deadline on Thursday evening.

About the Author
By Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

gen z
Real EstateInflation
Gen Z finally had room to breathe. Now Trump’s 26% gas price hike has them suffocating
By Nick LichtenbergMarch 24, 2026
1 hour ago
Khosla gestures with both hands
AIElections
Billionaire OpenAI investor Vinod Khosla thinks 80% of jobs could vanish by 2030, and that ‘fear of AI’ put American politics in a chokehold
By Jacqueline MunisMarch 24, 2026
1 hour ago
lines at airport
PoliticsAirports
Senate closes in on deal to end Homeland Security shutdown—without funding ICE operations
By The Associated Press, Lisa Mascaro and Joey CappellettiMarch 24, 2026
1 hour ago
Two People Faces Talking Discussion Communication Stock Market Insider 3d Illustration
EnergyIran
Nobel laureate Paul Krugman calls it ‘treason’: $580 million in suspicious oil futures traded minutes before Trump’s Iran reversal
By Eva RoytburgMarch 24, 2026
1 hour ago
man speaks at conference
CryptoCryptocurrency
Tether announces it has brought on a Big Four firm to conduct long awaited audit 
By Carlos GarciaMarch 24, 2026
2 hours ago
Aravind Srinivas, wearing a white sweater, lifts both of his arms in front of him.
Future of WorkLabor
Perplexity CEO says AI layoffs aren’t so bad because people hate their jobs anyways: ‘That sort of glorious future is what we should look forward to’
By Sasha RogelbergMarch 24, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

Commentary
The Treasury just declared the U.S. insolvent. The media missed it
By Fortune EditorsMarch 23, 2026
1 day ago
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of March 23, 2026
By Fortune EditorsMarch 23, 2026
1 day ago
Economy
It took 200 years for national debt to hit $1 trillion. Annual interest alone now exceeds that—a 'crushing legacy we must reverse,' says budget chair
By Fortune EditorsMarch 23, 2026
1 day ago
Economy
Larry Fink says today's economic anxiety stems from people increasingly feeling like capitalism isn't working for them
By Fortune EditorsMarch 23, 2026
1 day ago
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of March 23, 2026
By Fortune EditorsMarch 23, 2026
1 day ago
Health
Trump has TACO'd again, this time in Iran, sparking a $1.7 trillion stock market rally in minutes, even as peace talks are in question
By Fortune EditorsMarch 23, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.