đ Share this article US Authorities Launch Inquiry into Autonomous Tesla Vehicles After Series of Collisions American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an investigation into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after numerous accidents. Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Breaches The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that violated traffic safety lawsâ. This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents 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 reported it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and moving against the wrong way during lane changes while using the technology. NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD activated, âcame to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to drive into the intersection against the red light and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the junctionâ. The authority reported that four crashes had caused one or more injuries. Additional Issues Identified The NHTSA announced it has found 18 reports and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct traffic signal state in the car's displayâ. Several reporters also claimed that FSD âdid not provide warnings of the technology's planned actions as the vehicle was approaching a red lightâ. Ongoing Official Examination Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months. In October 2024, the agency began an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal. Company's Stated Position Tesla's website states that FSD is âdesigned for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the presently active functions do not make the vehicle self-driving.â Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.