🔗 Share this article US Regulators Begin Probe into Autonomous Tesla Vehicles Following Series of Collisions US automobile safety regulators have opened an examination into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following numerous accidents. Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Violations The NHTSA announced that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”. This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly requesting a recall of the cars if the authority concludes they present a danger to road safety. Alarming Incident Reports The regulatory body stated it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and traveling in the incorrect way during lane switching while operating the technology. NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD engaged, “approached an intersection with a red light, continued to travel into the crossroads against the red light and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the junction”. The authority reported that four crashes had caused injuries to occupants. Additional Issues Identified The NHTSA announced it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stopped 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 vehicle interface”. Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's planned behaviour as the car was coming to a red light”. Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months. In October 2024, the authority began an investigation into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly. Manufacturer's Stated Position The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not make the vehicle self-driving.” Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.