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

US automobile safety regulators have started an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following multiple collisions.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially requesting a recall of the cars if the agency concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and moving in the incorrect way during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving engaged, “approached an junction with a red light, continued to travel into the crossroads against the red signal and was subsequently part of a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

The agency reported that four crashes had resulted in one or more injuries.

Further Issues Identified

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

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's planned actions as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In October 2024, the authority started an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.