American Authorities Begin Investigation into Self-Driving Tesla Vehicles Following String of Crashes
US automobile safety regulators have commenced an investigation into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following numerous crashes.
Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Breaches
The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.
This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the agency concludes they present a danger to road safety.
Concerning Incident Reports
The agency stated it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and moving against the incorrect way during lane switching while operating the system.
NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving engaged, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the intersection against the red signal and was subsequently involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.
The agency reported that four crashes had caused one or more injuries.
Additional Safety Concerns
The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.
Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the technology's planned actions as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.
Ongoing Official Examination
The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.
In October 2024, the authority began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.
Manufacturer's Official Stance
The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the presently active functions do not make the car self-driving.”
Self-driving car systems continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.
