The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into more than 2.8 million Tesla vehicles equipped with the company’s Full Self-Driving system. The investigation will focus on traffic violations that occur while using the system, which include running red lights and driving the wrong way down certain streets.
According to The Verge, the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation is looking into 58 cases that involve the FSD system, which include 14 crashes and 23 injuries. In some cases, a Tesla vehicle using FSD failed to completely stop (or didn’t stop at all) at a red light. FSD-equipped vehicles have also turned the wrong way while completing a turn, or even turning onto a road in the wrong direction, despite there being wrong-way signs.
This isn’t the first time Tesla’s FSD system has faced scrutiny from the NHTSA. In July 2023, a 57-year-old man was killed when his Tesla Model Y using Full-Self Driving struck a tractor-trailer. This sparked an investigation by the NHTSA regarding FSD due to claims that the system would overlook mistakes made by other drivers.
Recently, a new update from the automaker suggests that drowsy drivers use the FSD system to stay awake, while experts warn of people struggling to supervise these systems when something goes wrong.
This investigation also comes at an awkward time for Tesla, as the NHTSA launched an investigation into the electric door handles seen on Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, due to low voltages that can lock people out of the car, potentially endangering children.
Source: The Verge
