US Regulators Launch Probe into Autonomous Tesla Vehicles After Series of Collisions

American vehicle safety authorities have started an examination into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following multiple accidents.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

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

Alarming Incident Reports

The agency stated it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and traveling against the wrong way during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving activated, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the crossroads against the red signal and was later part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, 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 failed to accurately detect and show the correct light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts 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 Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the agency began an investigation into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the presently active functions do not make the car self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.