American Authorities Initiate Probe into Self-Driving Tesla Vehicles After Series of Collisions
US automobile safety regulators have commenced an investigation into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following multiple collisions.
Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Breaches
The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.
This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the authority concludes they present a danger to road safety.
Alarming Case Findings
The agency stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and moving against the wrong way during lane switching while using the system.
NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD engaged, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was later part of a crash with other cars in the intersection”.
The agency reported that four accidents had caused injuries to occupants.
Further Safety Concerns
The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.
Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the technology's intended actions as the car was approaching a red light”.
Continuing Official Examination
Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.
In October 2024, the agency started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.
Company's Official Stance
Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these features are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not make the vehicle self-driving.”
Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.
