American Authorities Initiate Investigation into Self-Driving Teslas Following String of Crashes
US automobile safety regulators have commenced an investigation into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following multiple accidents.
Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Violations
The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.
This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly seeking a recall of the cars if the agency determines they pose a risk to road safety.
Concerning Incident Reports
The regulatory body reported it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and moving in the incorrect way during lane changes while using the system.
NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD activated, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the intersection despite the red light and was later involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.
The authority noted that four accidents had resulted in injuries to occupants.
Additional Safety Concerns
The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.
Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's planned actions as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.
Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny
The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.
In October 2024, the authority started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.
Company's Stated Position
Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not make the car self-driving.”
Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.
