American Authorities Begin Probe into Self-Driving Teslas Following Series of Collisions

American vehicle safety authorities have started an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after numerous accidents.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the agency determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

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

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD engaged, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red signal and was later part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct light status in the car's display”.

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

Ongoing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been being examined 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 situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the presently active functions do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.