American Regulators Initiate Investigation into Self-Driving Teslas Following String of Collisions
American vehicle safety authorities have opened an investigation into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after several crashes.
Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Breaches
The NHTSA stated that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.
This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the authority determines they present a danger to road safety.
Alarming Incident Reports
The regulatory body stated it had documented reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and moving against the incorrect way during lane changes while using the technology.
NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD activated, “approached an intersection with a red light, continued to travel into the intersection against the red light and was subsequently involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.
The agency noted that four crashes had caused injuries to occupants.
Further Issues Identified
The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the correct light status in the car's display”.
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”.
Ongoing Official Examination
Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.
In late 2024, the agency began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.
Company's Official Stance
Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the presently active features do not render the car self-driving.”
Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.
