🔗 Share this article US Regulators Begin Investigation into Self-Driving Tesla Vehicles Following Series of Accidents American vehicle safety authorities have opened an investigation into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following several collisions. Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Violations The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that breached road safety regulations”. This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety. Concerning Incident Reports The regulatory body reported it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and moving against the incorrect way during lane switching while operating the system. NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, using FSD engaged, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the intersection despite the red signal and was later part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”. The authority reported that four accidents had resulted in one or more injuries. Further Issues Identified The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper light status in the car's display”. Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's intended actions as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”. Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months. In late 2024, the authority started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly. Company's Stated Position The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any time. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the presently active functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.” Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.