US Authorities Launch Inquiry into Self-Driving Tesla Vehicles Following String of Accidents

American vehicle safety authorities have opened an examination into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations after several crashes.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation 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 received reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and traveling in the incorrect direction during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving activated, “approached an intersection with a red light, proceeded to drive into the intersection against the red light and was later involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's intended actions as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority started an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

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 take over at any time. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.