US to probe Tesla Autopilot over crashes

US safety regulators have opened a formal investigation into Tesla's semi-autonomous Autopilot system after a series of crashes involving emergency service vehicles.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), at least 11 crashes have occurred when Tesla cars "have encountered first responder scenes and subsequently struck one or more vehicles involved with those scenes" since January 2018.

In these situations, it's understood that when police, fire service or ambulance members have attended another traffic accident, they've had their vehicle/s struck by a Tesla operating on Autopilot that has failed to recognise the scene ahead.

The new probe could prove significant for Tesla if NHTSA finds fault with the semi-autonomous cruise control system. The US safety body has the power to not only demand a recall but introduce new limits that could govern when and where Autopilot is legally able to operate.

Such limits could significantly limit the development of the tech, with the knock-on effect of harming sales.

Pressuring the investigation into Tesla were reports of 17 injuries and one death caused by the 11 crashes.

Out of the 11 incidents involving Tesla cars, four occurred this year, with the most recent crash happening last month in San Diego.

The news of the NHTSA probe wiped 3.6 per cent off the value of the car-maker's shares following the confirmation the US safety body's investigation involved the entire Tesla range.

"The involved subject vehicles were all confirmed to have been engaged in either Autopilot or Traffic Aware Cruise Control during the approach to the crashes," NHTSA confirmed in documents detailing why the investigation was prompted.

According to NHTSA, the probe covers an estimated 765,000 vehicles in the US, covering the Tesla Model S, X, 3 and Y cars made from 2014 to 2021.

NHTSA also revealed that it has been independently investigating 31 accidents involving Tesla cars since 2016, sending in special crash investigation teams to review why the incidents occurred.

In those crashes, the Autopilot was ruled out having any involvement in the accident from occurring in just three crashes.

With the latest 11 incidents now under investigation, NHTSA said most of the crashes took place after dark and encountered crash scene safety measures like emergency vehicle lights, flares or coned-off areas.

As part of its investigation, the NHTSA said it would "assess the technologies and methods used to monitor, assist and enforce the driver's engagement with the dynamic driving task during Autopilot operation".

The review of all Tesla's complex driving assistance aids is expected to take at least a year.

Tesla's director of autonomous driving admitted as recently as last year that Autopilot struggles to recognise a parked police car when the blue and red light bars are flashing.

In a statement, NHTSA reminded owners of all cars with autonomous driving aids that "no commercially available motor vehicles today are capable of driving themselves".

"Certain advanced driving assistance features can promote safety by helping drivers avoid crashes and mitigate the severity of crashes that occur, but as with all technologies and equipment on motor vehicles, drivers must use them correctly and responsibly," NHTSA said.

It's not the first time NHTSA has investigated Tesla's Autopilot. Back in 2017, the safety body announced that it had closed a near seven-month investigation into the driver aids after not identifying any defects.