Tesla Investigated After Self-Driving Software Cited For Crashes, Traffic Safety Violations In US

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) opened an investigation into the electronic vehicle company Tesla over the self-driving software that powers 2.88 million of its vehicles citing over 50 reports of traffic safety violations that include 14 crashes.

According to a Reuters report on Thursday, the software, named 'Full Self Driving System' had "induced vehicle behaviour that violated traffic laws", the traffic safety body reported.

The driving-aid system does require its users to step in and take control of their vehicle when needed.

The NHTSA will look into a total of 58 traffic safety violation incidents including 14 crashes that lead to 23 injuries. According to six reports filed by the organisation, the self-driving vehicles did not stop at intersections when the red traffic light was being flashed.

It instead, barreled into the intersection and crashed into other vehicles. Four crashes from such vehicles lead to one or more injuries, Reuters reported.

If the NHTSA detect an unreasonable safety risk to users from the vehicle during the investigation, it would pursue a recall of these vehicles.

Outside of traffic signal and wrong way violation, Tesla is also being investigated for a series of incidents, where its self-driving vehicles did not stop at railway crossings when a speeding train was going across.

The Elon Musk-led company has also come under legal scrutiny for accidents involving its vehicle self-driving software designs as early as 2023, where a 2021 Tesla Model Y vehicle with the software struck and killed a pedestrian in Arizona. The NHTSA opened an investigation into the vehicles regarding how its self-navigating software responded to reduced visibility.

There was a similar incident in 2024 where a motorist in Seattle suffered a fatal collision with a Tesla Models S, according to Reuters. The driver who was using his phone at the time was arrested alleging vehicular homicide.

Tesla's 2021 Tesla Model Y vehicles were also being investigated by the NHTSA for retractable door handles that did not come out when the vehicle lost power, which may lead to injuries and deaths, Bloomberg reported.

Tesla responded by announcing a redesign of the door handles combining the electronic and manual door-release mechanisms in order for it to be accessible in case of emergency and power loss.

The EV firm is facing a lawsuit from the family of 19-year-old Krysta Tsukahara, who they alleged had died when the vehicle caught on fire and Krysta was trapped inside due to electric door system being non-responsive after it crashed into a tree.

This may prove to be a roadblock for the company who was pushing to establish a 'robo-taxi' service and was seeking legal sanction for the same.