🔗 Share this article US Regulators Launch Probe into Autonomous Teslas After Series of Accidents American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an probe into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after several accidents. Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Breaches The federal safety agency stated that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that breached road safety regulations”. This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency concludes they pose a risk to public safety. Alarming Case Findings The regulatory body reported it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and traveling against the wrong way during lane changes while using the technology. NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using FSD engaged, “came to an junction with a red light, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was later involved in a crash 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 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”. Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's intended behaviour as the car was coming to a red light”. Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year. In late 2024, the authority started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was deadly. Company's Official Stance The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle self-driving.” Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.