US Regulators Initiate Inquiry into Autonomous Tesla Vehicles Following Series of Collisions
US automobile safety regulators have started an probe into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after numerous collisions.
Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.
This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially requesting a recall of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to road safety.
Alarming Incident Reports
The agency reported it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving in the wrong direction during lane changes while using the system.
NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD activated, “came to an junction with a red light, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red light and was later part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.
The agency reported that four accidents had caused one or more injuries.
Additional Safety Concerns
The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.
Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's planned actions as the vehicle was coming to a red traffic signal”.
Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny
Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.
In October 2024, the agency started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.
Company's Official Stance
The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not make the car autonomous.”
Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.
