American Authorities Initiate Probe into Autonomous Tesla Vehicles Following Series of Collisions

US automobile safety regulators have started an probe into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after multiple accidents.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had documented reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and moving in the incorrect direction during lane changes while using the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD engaged, “came to an intersection with a red light, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was subsequently part of a collision with other cars in the junction”.

The agency noted that four accidents had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's planned behaviour as the car was approaching a red light”.

Ongoing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the agency began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, 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 time. While these features are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not make the car self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.