American Regulators Launch Inquiry into Self-Driving Teslas After Series of Collisions

American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following multiple collisions.

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

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

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a recall of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency stated it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and traveling in the wrong direction during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving activated, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red signal and was later involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the correct light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's intended actions as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Official Examination

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

In October 2024, the agency started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the presently active features do not render the car self-driving.”

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.