American Regulators Initiate Inquiry into Autonomous Teslas Following Series of Collisions
American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an investigation into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following several collisions.
Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Breaches
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.
This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the agency concludes they present a danger to public safety.
Concerning Incident Reports
The agency reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and traveling in the wrong way during lane changes while using the system.
NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD activated, “approached an junction with a red light, proceeded to travel into the intersection against the red signal and was subsequently involved in a collision with other cars in the junction”.
The authority reported that four accidents had resulted in one or more injuries.
Additional Issues Identified
The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the proper traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.
Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's planned behaviour as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.
Continuing Official Examination
Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.
In late 2024, the authority started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.
Company's Official Stance
The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering 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 make the vehicle autonomous.”
Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.