American Regulators Begin Investigation into Autonomous Tesla Vehicles After String of Accidents

US automobile safety regulators have commenced an investigation into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following numerous crashes.

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency stated that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the agency concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and traveling in the wrong direction during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving engaged, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the crossroads despite the red light and was subsequently part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's planned actions as the car was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the agency started an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering 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 vehicle self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.