President-elect Trump's nominee to head the U.S. Transportation Department (DOT), Sean Duffy, said during his confirmation hearing Wednesday that Boeing needs “tough love” to bounce back from a series of safety failures, and that a safety probe into Tesla’s advanced driver assistance system will go on.  Duffy, a former five-term Republican Congressman from Wisconsin, received a warm welcome during his Wednesday address to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. The former Fox News personality introduced eight of his nine kids present to the panel along with his wife, "Fox Noticias" host Rachel Campos-Duffy.  During the hearing, Duffy said that, if given an opportunity to lead the DOT, he would focus on aviation safety, including ensuring that the public’s trust in plane manufacturing behemoth Boeing is revived.  “I think we have to make sure they are implementing their safety plan. We have to push the FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] to make sure they are implementing their safety plan,” Duffy told senators.  The former House lawmaker said he would he will work with FAA and Congress to “restore global confidence in Boeing and to ensure our skies are safe.”  “In one of my meetings someone said though they need tough love, which is what they do need," he said.  Federal regulators have intensified oversight over commercial flights following a near-tragic incident mid-air when a door panel on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 blew out last January and a slew of other incidents at various U.S. airlines during last year.  Duffy would also have oversight of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which is investigating Tesla, headed by tech billionaire and Trump mega-donor Elon Musk, over the car company’s advanced driving technology. Last October, the regulator launched an investigation into Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software after it was reportedly involved in four crashes, a probe covering about 2.4 million vehicles.  Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) asked Duffy if he can “commit” to allow NHTSA to “follow the evidence and operate objectively.”  “Yes, I commit to this committee and to you that I will let NHTSA do their investigation,” Duffy said. “I think I also mentioned to you that a lot of the players in these spaces, I haven’t met any of them.” When asked about by the committee’s chairman, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Duffy said he would look over the fines the FAA recommended for SpaceX, also led by Musk, after the agency said the aerospace company violated license requirements during two launches in 2023.  Duffy also signaled his support for changes in how federal highways are funded, suggesting more revenue needs to come from electric vehicle drivers. The Highway Trust Fund (HTF) is funded by a gas tax, meaning electric vehicles are effectively untaxed for the roads they use. "They should pay for use of our roads. How to do that, I think, is a little more challenging," Duffy told Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), who raised the issue, adding he would love to work with Fischer and the committee to “make that happen.”  Duffy, a former lobbyist, also told senators that he would focus on cutting down “red tape” that impedes the progress of “critical infrastructure projects, ensuring funds are spent efficiently,” adding that Trump told him that he wants to invest in the nation’s “crumbling” infrastructure.  The ex-House lawmaker said his first official trip as DOT head would be to areas affected by the hurricanes in Tennessee and North Carolina in September.