US Regulators Launch Investigation into Autonomous Teslas After String of Crashes

American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an investigation into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after numerous collisions.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Breaches

The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency reported it had documented reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving in the incorrect direction during lane changes while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, using FSD activated, “approached an junction with a red light, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red signal and was later part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The authority reported that four crashes had caused injuries to occupants.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's planned actions as the car was approaching a red light”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the authority began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.