The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced today that it has opened a probe into the Autopilot advanced driver-assistance system found in Tesla Inc. vehicles.

Since 2018, the NHTSA has identified 11 crashes in which Tesla vehicles collided with stationary emergency vehicles. The crashes all occurred while the Autopilot system was active. “Most incidents took place after dark and the crash scenes encountered included scene control measures such as first responder vehicle lights, flares, an illuminated arrow board, and road cones,” the agency detailed.

Autopilot is an artificial intelligence system included in Tesla vehicles that can perform certain driving tasks. Autopilot offers features such as autonomous parking and the ability to automatically match a vehicle’s speed to surrounding traffic. However, before enabling the system, the driver must agree to keep their hands on the steering wheel at all times.

That makes Autopilot a so-called Level 2 autonomous system. Autonomous vehicles are organized into five levels that are defined by the SAE International engineering standards organization. Level 2 covers vehicles that can perform some tasks on their own but require constant driver oversight. 

The NHTSA investigation announced today will encompass Tesla Model Y, X, S and 3 vehicles made from 2014 to 2021. Officials will evaluate “the technologies and methods used to monitor, assist, and enforce the driver’s engagement with the dynamic driving task during Autopilot operation,” the agency has stated. “The investigation will additionally assess the OEDR by vehicles when engaged in Autopilot mode, and ODD in which the Autopilot mode is functional.”

OEDR stands for object and event detection and response, while ODD means operational design domain. Moreover, the agency said, “the investigation will also include examination of the contributing circumstances for the confirmed crashes listed below and other similar crashes.”

The announcement of the investigation comes about two months after the agency issued new rules focused on vehicles equipped with driver assistance and autonomous systems. The rules require Tesla and other companies that make such vehicles to report many types of crashes to the NHTSA within a day. Additionally, the companies must prepare a report on all other crashes involving their cars every month. 

A NHTSA spokesperson told The Verge that the Autopilot investigation is currently in a preliminary stage.

Photo: Tesla