US Regulators Begin Inquiry into Self-Driving Teslas After Series of Collisions
US automobile safety regulators have opened an investigation into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following several collisions.
Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.
This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly seeking a recall of the vehicles if the authority determines they present a danger to road safety.
Alarming Incident Reports
The regulatory body reported it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving in the incorrect direction during lane switching while operating the technology.
NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving engaged, “approached an intersection with a red light, continued to drive into the intersection despite the red light and was later part of a collision with other cars in the intersection”.
The authority reported that four accidents had caused injuries to occupants.
Additional Safety Concerns
The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.
Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the system's planned behaviour as the car was coming to a red light”.
Continuing Official Examination
Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.
In late 2024, the authority started an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.
Company's Official Stance
Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not render the vehicle autonomous.”
Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.
