US regulators launch investigation into self-driving Teslas after series of crashes | Self-driving cars

US auto safety regulators have launched an investigation into Tesla vehicles equipped with fully autonomous driving technology for traffic safety violations following a series of crashes.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the electric car maker’s self-driving assist system, which requires drivers to be alert and intervene when necessary, “results in vehicle behavior that violates traffic safety laws.”

NHTSA’s preliminary assessment is the first step before a potential recall of vehicles believed to pose a safety risk.

The agency said it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles going through red traffic lights and driving against the correct direction when changing lanes while using the system.

NHTSA said it had six reports of a Tesla vehicle operating with fully autonomous driving (FSD) “approaching an intersection with a red traffic signal, continuing to proceed toward the intersection at a red light, and then being involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection.”

Four crashes resulted in one or more injuries, the agency said. Tesla did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

NHTSA said it identified 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles operating at the intersection with FSD “failed to stop during the red traffic signal, failed to come to a complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct traffic signal status on the vehicle interface.”

Some complainants also said that FSD “failed to warn of the system’s intended behavior as the vehicle approached the red traffic signal.”

Tesla’s FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been under review by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the agency opened an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD following four crashes reported in conditions with reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions in 2023 was fatal.

Tesla’s website says FSD is designed to be used by a “fully attentive driver with their hands on the steering wheel and ready to take control at any time. While these features are designed to become more capable over time, the features currently active do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Reuters contributed to this report