US Authorities Initiate Probe into Autonomous Tesla Vehicles Following Series of Accidents

American vehicle safety authorities have opened an probe into Tesla cars equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following multiple accidents.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Breaches

The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially seeking a recall of the vehicles if the agency concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and moving in the wrong direction during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD engaged, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the crossroads against the red light and was subsequently part of a crash with other cars in the junction”.

The agency noted that four crashes had caused injuries to occupants.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's planned behaviour as the car was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the authority began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

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 prepared to take over at any time. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not make the car self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.