🔗 Share this article American Authorities Launch Probe into Autonomous Teslas Following Series of Accidents US automobile safety regulators have opened an examination into Tesla cars equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following several collisions. Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Violations The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that violated road safety regulations”. This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially requesting a recall of the vehicles if the authority determines they present a danger to road safety. Alarming Incident Reports The regulatory body reported it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and moving in the incorrect way during lane switching while operating the technology. NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving engaged, “came to an intersection with a red light, continued to drive into the intersection despite the red signal and was subsequently involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”. The authority noted that four accidents had caused injuries to occupants. Additional Issues Identified The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary 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 vehicle interface”. Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's intended behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”. Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year. In October 2024, the authority began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal. Company's Stated Position The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these features are designed to improve over time, the presently active features do not render the vehicle self-driving.” Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.