U.S. federal regulators have begun investigating nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles following multiple reports of accidents caused by the automaker’s autopilot system.
Last Thursday (9th), the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it was focusing on incidents where Teslas failed to stop at red lights or drove the wrong way, colliding with other vehicles and causing injuries.
The investigation has been described as a preliminary assessment that could develop into a recall if the agency finds issues that threaten public safety.
Nearly 3 million vehicles under investigation have Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature, which functions like a form of autopilot but still requires the driver to remain attentive to the road.
Elon Musk’s company has faced multiple federal investigations in the past. This time, however, the NHTSA stated it is focusing on 58 cases that resulted in 14 accidents and 23 injuries.
In many of the cases cited by the NHTSA, drivers complained that their Teslas did not provide adequate warnings about unexpected behavior, according to the agency.
The investigation will evaluate the warnings given to drivers about imminent system behavior, the time provided for drivers to respond, and the FSD’s ability to detect, display to the driver, and appropriately respond to traffic signals.
The review will also analyze the FSD’s ability to detect and respond to lane markings and wrong-way signage, as well as how the FSD functions when “approaching railroad crossings,” according to the NHTSA.
The NHTSA had already been investigating the FSD feature in about 2.4 million Teslas after the feature was linked to four accidents, including a fatal incident in 2023. The investigation focused on how the feature operated under reduced road visibility conditions.
Since January, the agency has also been investigating Tesla’s so-called “Smart Summon” feature, which allows drivers to remotely move their parked vehicles toward them.
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