American Regulators Initiate Inquiry into Self-Driving Teslas Following Series of Collisions
US automobile safety regulators have opened an examination into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after numerous crashes.
Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Violations
The NHTSA declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”.
This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the agency determines they pose a risk to road safety.
Concerning Case Findings
The regulatory body reported it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and traveling in the incorrect direction during lane switching while operating the system.
NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving engaged, “came to an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red light and was subsequently involved in a collision with other cars in the junction”.
The agency reported that four crashes had resulted in injuries to occupants.
Further Issues Identified
The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct light status in the car's display”.
Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's planned behaviour as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.
Ongoing Official Examination
Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.
In late 2024, the authority began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was fatal.
Company's Stated Position
Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the presently active features do not make the vehicle autonomous.”
Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.
