American Authorities Launch Probe into Autonomous Tesla Vehicles After String of Accidents

American vehicle safety authorities have opened an investigation into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following numerous crashes.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Violations

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the agency determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency stated it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and traveling in the wrong way during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD activated, “came to an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red signal and was subsequently part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

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

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the technology's intended behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the authority started an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these features are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.