US safety regulators open major probe into Tesla Full Self Driving system The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has initiated a significant investigation into 2.88 million Tesla electric vehicles equipped with the company’s Full Self Driving system. The agency is responding to more than 50 reports of traffic safety violations and numerous crashes linked to the technology. NHTSA, which oversees national motor vehicle safety standards, stated that Tesla’s FSD software has induced vehicle behavior that violated traffic safety laws. Specific incidents include vehicles running red lights and driving against the flow of traffic. Among the detailed reports the agency has received, six of them describe a concerning pattern. In these cases, a Tesla vehicle with FSD engaged approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued traveling into the intersection against the red light, and subsequently crashed with other vehicles in the intersection. The investigation will begin as a preliminary evaluation. Following this initial phase, NHTSA could potentially issue a recall if it determines the vehicles pose a significant enough risk to public safety. This marks the latest in a series of federal investigations into the electric vehicle manufacturer this year alone. At the beginning of the year, NHTSA opened an investigation into Tesla’s Smart Summon and Actual Smart Summon features, which allow owners to remotely retrieve their vehicles from parking spots. Just a few weeks ago, the agency announced another investigation into the 2021 Model Y concerning its door handles and whether they risk trapping passengers inside the vehicle. This also is not the first time federal safety officials have examined the safety of Tesla’s driver assist features. Tesla maintains its own vehicle safety reports that highlight how accidents per million miles driven are reportedly far less common when its FSD technology is engaged compared to when it is not. However, the company has also sought to prevent more specific crash data involving FSD from becoming publicly available, citing confidentiality concerns. The outcome of this probe could have significant implications for the future of autonomous driving technology and regulatory oversight of advanced driver assistance systems in the United States.
