American Regulators Launch Inquiry into Autonomous Tesla Vehicles Following String of Collisions

US automobile safety regulators have opened an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations after numerous crashes.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Violations

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the authority determines they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and traveling against the incorrect direction during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving activated, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the intersection against the red light and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

The agency noted that four accidents had caused one or more injuries.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper light status 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”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In October 2024, the authority started an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not make the car autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.