US Authorities Launch Probe into Autonomous Teslas After String of Collisions

American vehicle safety authorities have opened an probe into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following several accidents.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The agency stated it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and moving in the wrong way during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD activated, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the crossroads despite the red signal and was subsequently involved in a crash with other cars in the junction”.

The agency reported that four accidents had caused one or more injuries.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the correct 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 light”.

Continuing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the agency began an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not make the car autonomous.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals possible issues with existing deployments.