🔗 Share this article US Authorities Begin Investigation into Autonomous Teslas Following String of Crashes US automobile safety regulators have started an probe into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after several collisions. Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Breaches The federal safety agency stated that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”. This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the agency concludes they pose a risk to road safety. Concerning Case Findings The regulatory body stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and traveling against the incorrect way during lane changes while operating the system. NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving engaged, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red signal and was subsequently part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”. The agency noted that four crashes had caused one or more injuries. Further Safety Concerns The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”. Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's planned behaviour as the vehicle was coming to a red light”. Ongoing Official Examination Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year. In October 2024, the agency started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was fatal. Manufacturer's Stated Position 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 time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not render the car autonomous.” Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.