American Regulators Initiate Investigation into Self-Driving Teslas After String of Accidents
US automobile safety regulators have started an investigation into Tesla cars equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations after several accidents.
Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Violations
The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.
This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the authority determines they pose a risk to road safety.
Concerning Incident Reports
The agency reported it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and traveling in the wrong way during lane switching while operating the system.
NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD activated, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to drive into the intersection against the red light and was later part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.
The agency noted that four crashes had resulted in one or more injuries.
Additional Safety Concerns
The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.
Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's intended actions as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.
Continuing Official Examination
Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.
In late 2024, the agency began an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.
Company's Stated Position
Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not make the car autonomous.”
Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.