🔗 Share this article American Regulators Launch Inquiry into Self-Driving Tesla Vehicles After Series of Collisions US automobile safety regulators have opened an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after numerous accidents. Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Violations The federal safety agency announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”. This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority concludes they present a danger to road safety. Alarming Incident Reports The regulatory body reported it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and traveling in the incorrect direction during lane changes while operating the system. NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD engaged, “came to an intersection with a red light, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red signal and was subsequently involved in a crash with other cars in the junction”. The agency reported that four accidents had resulted in one or more injuries. Additional Safety Concerns The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize 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 actions as the vehicle was approaching a red light”. Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months. In October 2024, the agency started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal. Manufacturer's Official Stance Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not render the vehicle self-driving.” Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.