American Regulators Launch Inquiry into Self-Driving Tesla Vehicles Following Series of Crashes

American vehicle safety authorities have started an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following several collisions.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The federal safety agency stated that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the authority concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and traveling in the wrong direction during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving engaged, “approached an intersection with a red light, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red signal and was later part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's intended behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the authority started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

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

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.