American Regulators Begin Probe into Autonomous Tesla Vehicles After Series of Crashes

American vehicle safety authorities have opened an examination into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after numerous crashes.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Breaches

The NHTSA stated that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and traveling in the wrong way during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving engaged, “approached an intersection with a red light, proceeded to drive into the intersection despite the red signal and was subsequently involved in a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

The agency noted that four accidents had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain 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 vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's intended actions as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the authority started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, 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 steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these features are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not render the car self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.