American Regulators Launch Inquiry into Autonomous Teslas Following Series of Crashes

US automobile safety regulators have opened an examination into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following numerous accidents.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Violations

The NHTSA announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly requesting a recall of the cars if the authority determines they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency reported it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and moving in the incorrect way during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, using FSD activated, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the intersection against the red signal and was subsequently part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The authority noted that four crashes had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give alerts of the system's planned actions as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the authority started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with 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 presently active features do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.