American Authorities Initiate Inquiry into Self-Driving Tesla Vehicles Following Series of Collisions

American vehicle safety authorities have opened an investigation into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after numerous accidents.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency stated that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially requesting a recall of the vehicles if the authority determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and traveling in the wrong direction during lane switching while operating the system.

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

The authority reported that four accidents had resulted in one or more injuries.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's planned actions as the car was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the authority started an investigation into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the presently active functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with existing deployments.