🔗 Share this article American Regulators Launch Investigation into Self-Driving Teslas After Series of Accidents US automobile safety regulators have opened an investigation into Tesla cars equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations after several crashes. Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Violations The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”. This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the authority concludes they present a danger to road safety. Concerning Incident Reports The agency reported it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and moving against the incorrect direction during lane changes while operating the technology. NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving activated, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the intersection despite the red light and was later part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”. The authority noted that four crashes had resulted in injuries to occupants. Further Safety Concerns The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the correct light status in the vehicle interface”. Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give alerts of the system's planned behaviour as the car was coming to a red light”. Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months. In October 2024, the agency began an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was deadly. Manufacturer's Official Stance The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these features are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not render the car autonomous.” 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.