American Authorities Initiate Inquiry into Autonomous Teslas After Series of Crashes
US automobile safety regulators have started an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following several collisions.
Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Breaches
The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.
This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially requesting a recall of the cars if the agency determines they pose a risk to road safety.
Alarming Incident Reports
The regulatory body reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and moving against the incorrect direction during lane switching while operating the system.
NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD activated, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the intersection against the red signal and was later part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.
The agency reported that four crashes had caused one or more injuries.
Additional Issues Identified
The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped 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 car's display”.
Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's planned actions as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.
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 October 2024, the agency began an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.
Manufacturer's Stated Position
The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the 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 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.
