Tesla did not immediately comment. In July, the NHDSA investigated 19 accidents involving Tesla vehicles, some of which are thought to have advanced driver assistance.
The U.S. Automotive Safety Agency said Thursday that Tesla has launched 25 investigations into car accidents, 23 of which are active, with at least three crashes in the coming weeks.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHDSA) on Thursday confirmed it would send a team to investigate the recent Tesla crash in the Houston area. Two of the 25 NHDSA trials have been completed and the results released.
Earlier this week, the NHDSA said it had sent a special accident investigation team to investigate two accidents suspected to be in autopilot mode after a Michigan State Police patrol car crashed into a Tesla on Wednesday morning.
Michigan State Police say a patrol car collided head-on with an autopilot mode while investigating a traffic accident near Lansing on Interstate 96. No one was injured, and the 22-year-old Tesla driver was given traffic quotes. The NHDSA says it is sending another team to investigate the violent accident in Detroit. One of them fell under a Tesla tractor-trailer and the condition of the passenger was critical.
Detroit police said they do not believe an auto pilot was used in the case. The automated pilot feature has been working on at least three Tesla vehicles involved in a dangerous U.S. crash since 2016.
Tesla advises drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel and to be careful when using the autopilot. However, some Tesla drivers claim that they may not get their hands on the wheel for long periods of time while using the automated pilot.
The NHTS Special Accident Investigation Team typically looks at over a hundred hazards each year, focusing on emerging technologies. Recent issues include alternative fuel vehicles, child control systems, adaptive controls, seat belts, vehicle-pedestrian connections and safety deficiencies.
The company said it described Tesla’s “full self-driving” (FSD) software. Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted last week that the beta FSD software had been expanded to 2,000 owners, while other drivers had cancelled the plan. Tesla, meanwhile, told the California state government that “complete self-driving” is a Level 2 feature and will always be. Level 2 autonomy means when the man is closely examining the driving auxiliary features such as holding the wheel.
The NHTSA said it would closely monitor the new technology and would not hesitate to take steps to protect people from security hazards.