🔗 Share this article American Regulators Initiate Inquiry into Self-Driving Tesla Vehicles After Series of Crashes American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an probe into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after multiple crashes. Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Breaches The NHTSA declared that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”. This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority determines they pose a risk to road safety. Concerning Case Findings The agency stated it had documented reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red lights and traveling in the incorrect way during lane switching while operating the system. NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving activated, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the intersection despite the red signal and was subsequently involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”. The agency noted that four crashes had resulted in injuries to occupants. Additional Issues Identified The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct light status in the car's display”. Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's planned behaviour as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”. Ongoing Official Examination The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year. In late 2024, the authority started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal. Company's Official Stance Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle self-driving.” Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.