Washington (AP) — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated a new investigation into Tesla's controversial full self-driving technology following numerous reports of incidents where Tesla vehicles have run red lights or driven on the incorrect side of the road, resulting in crashes and injuries. This investigation was revealed in a filing dated Tuesday, indicating that there are currently 58 documented incidents of Tesla vehicles violating traffic safety laws while operating in full self-driving mode.
Many Tesla drivers have reported that their vehicles provided no warnings regarding unexpected behaviors during these incidents. In a related case, a Miami jury recently found Tesla partially liable for a fatal crash that occurred in Florida in 2019, which involved its Autopilot driver-assist technology—a system distinct from the full self-driving feature. The jury mandated that Tesla compensate the victims with over $240 million in damages, a decision the company intends to appeal.
The current investigation encompasses approximately 2,882,566 vehicles, essentially all Teslas equipped with full self-driving technology (FSD). This technology includes two variations: Level 2 driver-assistance software, known as “Full Self-Driving (Supervised),” which necessitates that drivers maintain full attention on the road. Tesla is actively testing a version that aims to eliminate the need for driver intervention, a feature that CEO Elon Musk has promised to release for several years.
This probe is one of several investigations focusing on Tesla's FSD feature, which has been implicated in numerous accidents resulting in injuries and fatalities. Tesla has consistently stated that its system is not fully autonomous and that human drivers must always be prepared to take control of the vehicle when necessary. Additionally, NHTSA is examining Tesla's “summon” technology, which enables drivers to command their cars to autonomously navigate to their location, a feature that has reportedly caused some minor collisions in parking areas.
Last year, NHTSA opened a separate investigation into driver-assistance features in 2.4 million Teslas following several crashes in fog and low-visibility conditions, including one tragic incident that resulted in a pedestrian's death. Another inquiry was launched in August to investigate why Tesla has seemingly failed to report crashes to the agency in a timely manner, as mandated by regulations. These NHTSA investigations can often lead to significant recalls.
Amidst these challenges, Musk faces mounting pressure to demonstrate that the latest advancements in Tesla's driver-assistance features not only address previous malfunctions but also enhance safety to the extent that drivers no longer need to monitor the road. He recently declared plans to have hundreds of thousands of self-driving Tesla vehicles and Tesla robotaxis operational by the end of next year. Following the news of the investigation, Tesla shares experienced a decline of 2% on Thursday.
