American Regulators Begin Probe into Self-Driving Tesla Vehicles Following Series of Collisions

American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an investigation into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following numerous collisions.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The NHTSA announced that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

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

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and traveling in the wrong way during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD engaged, “approached an junction with a red light, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was subsequently involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The authority reported that four accidents had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the system's planned actions as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the agency started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Company'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 steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the presently active features do not render the car self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.