US Authorities Begin Investigation into Autonomous Teslas Following String of Accidents

US automobile safety regulators have opened an investigation into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following numerous crashes.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Violations

The NHTSA declared that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the authority concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency reported it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and traveling against the incorrect way during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving activated, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the crossroads despite the red signal and was subsequently part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

The agency reported that four crashes had caused one or more injuries.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD active, did not stay stopped 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 car's display”.

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

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the agency started an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the presently active functions do not make the vehicle self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.