US Authorities Begin Investigation into Self-Driving Tesla Vehicles After Series of Crashes
US automobile safety regulators have commenced an probe into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after several crashes.
Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Violations
The NHTSA declared that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.
This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the agency concludes they pose a risk to road safety.
Alarming Incident Reports
The agency stated it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and traveling against the incorrect direction during lane switching while using the technology.
NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD engaged, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red signal and was later part of a crash with other cars in the junction”.
The authority noted that four accidents had caused one or more injuries.
Further Safety Concerns
The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the proper light status in the car's display”.
Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's intended actions as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.
Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny
Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced 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 cars using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, 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 become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not render the vehicle autonomous.”
Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.
