US regulator probes Tesla's self-driving mode after crashes

Washington: The US auto safety regulator said Friday that it has opened an investigation into Tesla s Full Self Driving (FSD) software after receiving...

Washington: The US auto safety regulator said Friday that it has opened an investigation into Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) software after receiving four reports of crashes, one of which involved a pedestrian being struck and killed.

The crashes all occurred when "a Tesla vehicle traveling with FSD engaged entered an area of reduced roadway visibility conditions (sun glare, fog, dust) and Tesla's FSD continued operating," the statement from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said.

"One of the crashes involved a pedestrian being struck and killed; one crash involved a reported injury," it said.

The investigation will "to examine the system's potential failure to detect and disengage in specific situations where it cannot adequately operate, and the extent to which it can act to reduce risk."

Tesla, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, has spent aggressively on autonomous driving and other technology.