American Regulators Begin Investigation into Autonomous Teslas After Series of Accidents

US automobile safety regulators have started an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following numerous crashes.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Violations

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and moving in the incorrect direction during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving engaged, “approached an intersection with a red light, proceeded to travel into the intersection against the red light and was subsequently part of a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's intended behaviour as the vehicle was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the agency started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.