🔗 Share this article American Regulators Launch Probe into Autonomous Teslas After String of Collisions American vehicle safety authorities have opened an probe into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following multiple collisions. Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Breaches The NHTSA stated that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”. This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the agency concludes they pose a risk to public safety. Alarming Incident Reports The regulatory body stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and moving against the wrong way during lane switching while operating the system. NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving activated, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red light and was later part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”. The agency reported that four crashes had caused injuries to occupants. Additional Safety Concerns The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”. Several reporters 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 Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months. In late 2024, the authority began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was fatal. Manufacturer's Official Stance Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these features are designed to improve over time, the presently active functions do not render the car autonomous.” Self-driving car systems continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals possible issues with existing deployments.