US Authorities Initiate Inquiry into Self-Driving Tesla Vehicles Following String of Accidents

US automobile safety regulators have commenced an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following several collisions.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the agency concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency reported it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and moving in the wrong direction during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving activated, “approached an junction with a red light, proceeded to travel into the crossroads against the red light and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

The authority noted that four crashes had caused injuries to occupants.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD active, 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 proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

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

Ongoing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the agency started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these features are designed to become more capable, the presently active functions do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

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