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The probe, opened on Thursday, comes after Tesla reported four crashes in which vehicles entered areas of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog, and airborne dust. One of the crashes resulted in a pedestrian’s death, while another led to an injury, according to the agency, AP reports.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the United States has launched a new investigation into Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” system following reports of crashes in low-visibility conditions, including one fatal incident involving a pedestrian.
The probe, opened on Thursday, comes after Tesla reported four crashes in which vehicles entered areas of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog, and airborne dust. One of the crashes resulted in a pedestrian’s death, while another led to an injury, according to the agency, AP reports.
NHTSA investigators will assess the system’s ability to “detect and respond appropriately to reduced roadway visibility conditions, and if so, the contributing circumstances for these crashes.”
The investigation covers approximately 2.4 million Tesla vehicles produced between 2016 and 2024.
Tesla has consistently maintained that the Full Self-Driving system cannot operate vehicles independently and requires human drivers to be prepared to intervene.
A message seeking comment from Tesla was left on Friday, but no immediate response was provided.
Last week, Tesla showcased a fully autonomous robotaxi without a steering wheel or pedals during an event at a Hollywood studio.
CEO Elon Musk announced that fully autonomous vehicles, with no human drivers, are expected to be operational next year, with robotaxis available by 2026.
