US Authorities Begin Probe into Autonomous Teslas Following String of Crashes

American vehicle safety authorities have opened an examination into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after multiple crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency stated that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency determines they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving against the incorrect way during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving engaged, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the crossroads despite the red light and was later involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The agency reported that four crashes had resulted in one or more injuries.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's intended behaviour as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the agency started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive driver, 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 functions do not make the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.