Tesla is being investigated by the US government after reports the firm's self-driving cars had broken traffic laws, including driving on the wrong side of the road and not stopping for red lights. It said it was aware of 58 reports where the electric cars had committed such violations, according to a filing from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
An estimated 2.9 million cars equipped with full self-driving tech will fall under the investigation.
Tesla, whose boss Elon Musk recently became the world's first half-trillionaire, has been approached for comment.
The NHTSA's preliminary evaluation will assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety consequences of the Full Self-Driving (Supervised) mode. In this mode - which costs extra for Tesla owners - the cars can make lane changes and turns, but drivers must always be alert to take over at any time.
According to the NHTSA report, there were six crashes caused by cars stopping at a traffic light before setting off while the light was still red, resulting in injuries in four of those incidents. The traffic authority noted that Tesla had taken action to address the issue of cars going through red lights at a specific intersection in Maryland.
The agency will also investigate reports of vehicles going into the opposite lane when making a turn. It noted that some incidents occurred without sufficient notice for the driver to intervene.
Tesla is already facing an investigation from the NHTSA regarding the locking mechanisms of its Model Y cars after reports that children became trapped inside. In response, some owners had to break windows to free them.
In an effort to enhance competition and address market demands, Tesla recently unveiled new lower-cost models of several popular cars.
An estimated 2.9 million cars equipped with full self-driving tech will fall under the investigation.
Tesla, whose boss Elon Musk recently became the world's first half-trillionaire, has been approached for comment.
The NHTSA's preliminary evaluation will assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety consequences of the Full Self-Driving (Supervised) mode. In this mode - which costs extra for Tesla owners - the cars can make lane changes and turns, but drivers must always be alert to take over at any time.
According to the NHTSA report, there were six crashes caused by cars stopping at a traffic light before setting off while the light was still red, resulting in injuries in four of those incidents. The traffic authority noted that Tesla had taken action to address the issue of cars going through red lights at a specific intersection in Maryland.
The agency will also investigate reports of vehicles going into the opposite lane when making a turn. It noted that some incidents occurred without sufficient notice for the driver to intervene.
Tesla is already facing an investigation from the NHTSA regarding the locking mechanisms of its Model Y cars after reports that children became trapped inside. In response, some owners had to break windows to free them.
In an effort to enhance competition and address market demands, Tesla recently unveiled new lower-cost models of several popular cars.
