American Authorities Begin Investigation into Self-Driving Tesla Vehicles Following Series of Collisions

US automobile safety regulators have commenced an probe into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after multiple crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the agency determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and moving against the wrong way during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, using FSD engaged, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the intersection despite the red signal and was subsequently part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The agency reported that four crashes had caused injuries to occupants.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's intended actions as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the agency began an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the presently active features do not make the car autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.