US Regulators Initiate Probe into Autonomous Teslas After String of Crashes
US automobile safety regulators have started an probe into Tesla cars equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following numerous accidents.
Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches
The NHTSA announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.
This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially requesting a recall of the cars if the authority determines they present a danger to public safety.
Concerning Case Findings
The regulatory body reported it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and moving against the wrong way during lane switching while operating the technology.
NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving activated, “came to an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the intersection against the red signal and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.
The agency reported that four crashes had caused injuries to occupants.
Additional Safety Concerns
The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red light, 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 “did not provide alerts of the system's intended actions as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.
Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny
The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.
In October 2024, the agency started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.
Manufacturer's Official Stance
The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the presently active functions do not make the vehicle self-driving.”
Self-driving car systems continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.
