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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an investigation into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after multiple accidents.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly seeking a recall of the vehicles if the agency concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and moving in the incorrect direction during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving activated, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to travel into the crossroads despite the red signal and was subsequently part of a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

The agency reported that four crashes had caused one or more injuries.

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the proper light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's planned behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the authority started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these features are designed to improve over time, the presently active features do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with existing deployments.