The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking into Tesla, the car company founded by Elon Musk, due to reports of the vehicles running red lights and engaging in other unsafe driving while utilizing the Full Self-Driving (FSD) software.
NHTSA stated it has initiated an investigation involving about 2.9 million Tesla vehicles after becoming aware of 58 accidents associated with driver assistance systems. This development came after numerous reports indicated the vehicles displayed dangerous behavior while using the FSD technology.
Filings from NHTSA reveal that the reported events include instances where Tesla cars ran red lights and drove against traffic. Some of these incidents led to crashes and injuries, although the current investigation has not recorded any fatalities. Notably, there were mentions of six reports where Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD entered intersections with red lights, continued through them, and ultimately collided with other cars. Several of these occurrences took place at a specific intersection in Maryland, leading Tesla to take corrective action at that location.
In September, Breitbart News noted that Tesla users had reported difficulties with FSD at railroad crossings, including near misses with trains.
Italo Frigoli, a Tesla driver from north Texas, recounted a close call where his vehicle, while in FSD mode, failed to notice an approaching train at a crossing. “It felt like it was running into my arms,” he reflected, adding that he quickly hit the brakes. Footage from the vehicle’s camera seemed to back up his account, and a follow-up test at the same crossing produced similar results, with the software again missing the incoming train.
Frigoli isn’t alone in this experience. At least six other Tesla drivers using FSD have encountered similar issues at railroad crossings, with four providing video evidence. In addition, many posts on Tesla forums and social media platforms describe comparable incidents, some going back to June 2023.
The FSD system is central to Elon Musk’s vision for fully autonomous driving, which propels Tesla’s reliance on cutting-edge technology. This investigation, along with ongoing probes into the company’s doors, Autopilot system, and crash reporting practices, contributes to heightened examination of Tesla’s driver-assistance technology.
