American Regulators Launch Investigation into Self-Driving Tesla Vehicles After String of Collisions

US automobile safety regulators have commenced an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following several crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly seeking a recall of the vehicles if the agency concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and moving in the wrong way during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD activated, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red signal and was later part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

The authority reported that four accidents had caused one or more injuries.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

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

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the agency began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

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