Sean Duffy, Donald Trump's pick to lead the Department of Transportation, has pledged to allow safety investigations into Tesla's advanced driving technology to proceed, potentially setting himself up for a clash with a top supporter of the president-elect, Elon Musk.

Duffy, a former Republican congressman, lobbyist, and Fox News personality, made the comments during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday in front of the Senate Commerce Committee. When asked by Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) whether he could maintain objectivity in investigating Tesla, Duffy committed to letting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) do its job.

Duffy's comments come after months of reporting about Musk's unprecedented influence over Trump's transition, including sitting in on meetings with potential nominees, vetting new hires, and volunteering to co-lead a committee to oversee massive spending cuts. Trump is also reportedly weighing policy decisions that would favor Musk's business, such as eliminating a crash reporting rule for partial and fully autonomous vehicles.

During the Biden administration, NHTSA launched several investigations into the safety of Tesla's automated driving technology. One of the largest probes resulted in a December 2023 recall of more than 2 million Tesla vehicles to install better safeguards for the company's Autopilot driver assist feature. NHTSA launched another investigation into the adequacy of the recall.

In addition to his commitment to allowing the investigations to proceed, Duffy also emphasized the need for national legislation to better regulate the safe rollout of autonomous vehicles. He noted that the current patchwork of laws from state to state is not ideal and that a federal law is necessary to provide a clear framework for innovators to operate within.

Duffy's stance on autonomous vehicles is significant, as he will have a bully pulpit to advocate for a national law for self-driving cars as transportation secretary. Trump has also expressed support for passing such a bill once taking office. However, Congress has taken up several proposals over the past decade with little to show for it, and it remains unclear whether major differences will be settled by the time the next opportunity arises.

The federal government has largely taken a back seat in regulating autonomous vehicles, leaving states to develop their own rulebooks for safe deployment. Legislation that would dramatically increase the number of AVs on the road has been stalled in Congress for over seven years, with lawmakers at odds over a range of issues, including safety, liability, and the right number of exemptions from federal motor vehicle safety standards.

In a related development, NHTSA has recently released a new voluntary framework for autonomous vehicles that aims to ease the rollout of fully driverless cars. While this move is seen as a step in the right direction, it remains to be seen whether it will be enough to overcome the regulatory hurdles that have held back the widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles.

In conclusion, Duffy's commitment to allowing the investigations into Tesla's autonomous driving technology to proceed is a significant development, especially given the potential clash with Elon Musk. As transportation secretary, Duffy will play a crucial role in shaping the regulatory landscape for autonomous vehicles, and his stance on the need for national legislation could have far-reaching implications for the industry.