Tesla faces U.S. auto safety probe after reports FSD ran red lights, caused collisions

Tesla is now the subject of a federal investigation due to potential safety issues related to its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, which is designed for partial automation. Reports from the media, vehicle owners, and various incidents submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicate that drivers using FSD encountered serious problems. In 44 distinct cases, drivers reported that the system led them to run red lights, inadvertently steer into oncoming traffic, or commit other traffic violations, resulting in collisions that sometimes caused injuries. The NHTSA has announced that the investigation will cover all Tesla vehicles equipped with either the FSD (Supervised) or FSD (Beta) systems, amounting to approximately 2.88 million of the company’s electric cars. Although Tesla's FSD is engaged, drivers are still expected to maintain control of the vehicle and be ready to intervene at a moment's notice. The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) at NHTSA has initiated a Preliminary Evaluation to determine if there was adequate warning or sufficient time for drivers to react to the unexpected behavior exhibited by the FSD system. This review will focus on various aspects, including the effectiveness of driver warnings about system behavior, the response time available to drivers, and FSD's ability to recognize and react to traffic signals and lane markings. Tesla has not commented on the ongoing federal investigation but has recently rolled out a new version of its FSD software, version 14.1, to its customers. For some time, CEO Elon Musk has assured investors that Tesla will eventually transform current electric vehicles into fully autonomous robotaxis, capable of generating revenue for owners during their absence with just a software update. However, this capability has yet to materialize, and Tesla has informed customers that future updates may require new hardware in addition to software improvements. Currently, Tesla is piloting a Robotaxi ride-hailing service in Texas and other locations, which includes human safety drivers or valets who oversee the driving or can take control when necessary. In a related development earlier this year, Musk and former President Donald Trump made cuts to NHTSA's staff, which had implications for the agency's ability to regulate vehicle safety and oversee autonomous vehicle investigations, as reported by The Washington Post.