US Regulators Begin Probe into Autonomous Tesla Vehicles Following String of Crashes

American vehicle safety authorities have started an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after numerous crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The NHTSA announced that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

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

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving activated, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection against the red signal and was subsequently involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

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

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the authority began an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not render the car autonomous.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.