American Regulators Begin Probe into Autonomous Teslas Following Series 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 Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and moving against the wrong way during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving engaged, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to travel into the crossroads despite the red light and was subsequently involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's intended behaviour as the vehicle was coming to 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 twelve months.

In October 2024, the agency started an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the presently active functions do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.