American Authorities Launch Investigation into Autonomous Tesla Vehicles After Series of Crashes

American vehicle safety authorities have started an examination into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following multiple crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially seeking a recall of the cars if the authority concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency stated it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and moving against the wrong way during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD activated, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the intersection despite the red signal and was subsequently part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

The authority reported that four crashes had caused injuries to occupants.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's planned actions as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing 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 using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these features are designed to improve over time, the presently active functions do not render the car autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.